Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Tag Force 2
by Hiyuusha
Summary: Rise, Earthbound Immortals! As the WRGP approaches, the Red Hat awakens one night to find himself cursed with a Mark of the Shadows. Intending to use its power for the greater good, he tasks himself with recruiting his former enemies, the Dark Signers, to assist him, but will the price of their help be too high to pay? The sequel to Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force.
1. A Night to Remember

**And here we go.**

* * *

New Domino City…

A shining metropolis filled to the brim with hot-blooded Duelists, speed-loving racers, and power-hungry politicians. Several events have occurred within the streets of this city, many of which were brought by the presence of the Signers -mighty Duelists who serve the ethereal Star God known as the Crimson Dragon- and those who aid them. In the time following their arrival, mysterious happenings occurred where it seemed as though the city and its inhabitants would be swallowed by a great darkness. During certain moments, it appeared that even the Signers -strong though they were- would fall in battle. In those great times of need, the Signers were aided by another ally…a mysterious Duelist who was always clad in red.

His name was Konami Kodo…and this was how he saved us all.

* * *

Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2

* * *

 _How long had it been since he last rode down these streets? How much had changed?_

The buildings themselves were just as he'd left them, tall and oppressive, towering over everyone as they climbed higher and higher into the starry abyss that was the night sky. But the streets, the streets had changed, and it was all Konami could think about as he rode past the newly constructed Daedalus Bridge aboard his dark blue Duel Runner – a parting gift from his friends at the TRANSCEND card shop.

He and Wisteria had been gone for a while; cast into another dimension by the time travelling Z-One in hopes of gaining a power to use against the impending Vylon threat. For half a year, they had been trapped there; stuck in a world they once thought to be little more than a fanfiction dreamt up by their mutual friend: Enzo Mitagawa. It was a world where a different Konami was still attending Duel Academy as a Slifer Red; a world that held startling similarities to the Konami of New Domino's own past…but one that held vast differences as well.

Konami felt strange, knowing that there was another version of himself out there, fighting the good fight, but he tried not to dwell on it too much. He had his own problem to deal with: an impending army of cybernetic Duel Monsters who would love to do nothing more than burn New Domino City and the rest of the Earth to the ground. According to Z-One, the invasion should have already been in motion by the time they got back. The mechanical man had estimated the Vylon's arrival to be less than a week after Konami and Wisteria initially departed, but here they were, six months later and there wasn't a single Vylon in sight! Z-One hadn't said much on the matter. In fact, he hadn't said much at all since they returned to the present. Konami thought it might have had something to do with the fact that they'd refused to come back with the Light of Destruction – the entity Z-One sought to use against the Vylon – but some deeper part of him doubted that was the case. Regardless the reason, Konami wanted to keep his eyes and ears open during Z-One's absence. Now more than ever, he needed to be vigilant, listening for any mention of their enemy. However, it was important to make time for friends as well. And on that note…

 _KONAMI-KUN! KONAMI-KUN!_

Right on cue, the cell phone connected to his Duel Runner began to go off. Konami idly glanced to the vehicle's center console to check who was calling, then smiled. He had a feeling it was her.

"Yes?" he asked, answering the phone with a mildly uninterested tone.

" _Ko-kun_ ," Wisteria whined from the other end, " _how long do you plan on taking to get here? The opening ceremony's are already about to start!"_

"I literally just turned onto Stadium Street," Konami replied, taking a sharp right as he spoke. "I'm like, two-three minutes out, tops."

" _Really,"_ he heard her sigh, _"and here I thought Enzo would be the one I'd have keep track of. What on earth were you doing to be running this late?"_

"Would you believe me if I said I had to pick up some eggs at the supermarket?"

" _Not for a second. Let me guess, you were dueling, weren't you?"_

"…."

" _Staying silent isn't going to get you off the hook with me, mister!"_

"Okay, so here's the thing-"

" _Unbelievable."_

"What? It was Hunter Pace! You don't really expect me to pass up a duel against a Turbo Dueling Pro are you? Besides, you know how stubborn that guy can get. I mean, he snuck into the Fortune Cup just to try and get back at Jack, remember? Who knows what would have happened had I turned him down?"

" _You would have gotten here on time with the rest of us?"_

"Well, okay there's that, but who knows what _else_ could have happened? I mean, he might've thrown a fit and attacked the ceremony! Then we would have _really_ been in danger…. I mean, you should be thanking me. For all you know, I might've just saved the WRGP!"

" _Well, I'm glad that the great and powerful Red Hat had time to save us all from the 'evil' Hunter Pace, but could Konami please hurry up and get here? Lazar's about to start and I'm not too sure he'd appreciate you awkwardly stumbling in mid-speech. You're already on a tight leash with him, probably wouldn't be a good idea to give him an excuse to make it tighter."_

"Yeah, I know," Konami sighed, "but look; I'm pulling into the parking lot now. I'll see you in a bit, alright?"

" _Oh thank god,"_ he heard her huff. Her voice sounded remarkably happier afterward, _"Alright, I'll see you inside. Love you!"_

There was a sharp click signaling the end of the call and Konami sighed as he let his Duel Runner roll to a stop. The city wasn't the only thing that had changed over the last six months. His relationships with everyone had transformed in new ways as well. Wisteria's fondness for him had always been there, but ever since they'd traversed dimensions together it had become more… _more_. He wasn't sure if he'd call them more than friends, but the girl seemed determined to make it so. Konami still wasn't completely certain how he felt about that, but…he would have been lying if he said he hated the extra attention.

As for his other friends, well...that's what he was there to find out, wasn't it?

Pulling off his helmet and disembarking his Duel Runner, Konami turned to stare down his destination. It was a place he had become quite familiar with during his stay in New Domino; though he was certain that, just like everywhere else he visited thus far, its aesthetics had probably changed dramatically. That place was, of course, the stadium that once housed the Fortune Cup – a mighty tournament held to determine the King of Turbo Duels. Konami hadn't entered of his own accord, and in the end he had lost to Akiza Izinski, who at the time was more widely known as the Black Rose Witch. Back then they had been bitter enemies, but she had changed for the better since then, and was now one of Konami's many friends.

"I wonder how she and the others are doing…." Konami heard himself mumble.

"Well you're not going to find out standing out here, are you?" a gruff voice asked from behind him.

Surprised, Konami turned on his heel to face the voice, only to find himself staring face-to-face with a muscular figure dressed in a dark Sector Security uniform. It took only a moment for Konami to recognize who it was.

"I had wondered what poor sap got saddled with guard duty," he acknowledged. "So it was you, eh Trudge?"

Tetsu Trudge, or Office Trudge – as he liked Konami to call him – grimaced at the words.

"Ha! Joke's on you, punk. The only reason I'm out here is because your lass wouldn't stop complaining to Mikage. You're lucky the boss lady tolerates you so much. She figured sending me out here to fetch you would be easier than causing a scene by telling the young lass to stop bothering her."

"Heh," Konami smirked. "So you say, but I have a feeling that Mikage was more than happy to send someone, and you just jumped at the chance to please her. Tell me Trudge, you ever get that date?"

Trudge's face contorted into an annoyed grimace and he angrily gestured over his right shoulder with his thumb. "Oh just shut up and get in there, would ya? I have enough to worry about without some troublemaker takin' jabs at me."

"Yes, yes," Konami said, smiling as he walked past. "Anything for you, officer."

He had just started on his sixth step when Trudge suddenly called back to him.

"Oi, hold it."

"Hm?" Konami asked, throwing his head back curiously. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the sinister grin on Trudge's face.

"I'm gonna have to ask you to move your vehicle," Trudge said, gesturing to the Duel Runner that was just barely parked over the line. "You're double-parked."

"Are you serious right now?"

"I'm serious."

"It's barely over the line!"

"Law's the law."

"But this lot is practically empty!"

"Not an excuse."

"Someone could totally still park there!"

"Do you want me to write you a ticket?"

"Even a truck could fit in there!"

"I'll write you a ticket."

Konami slapped a hand over his face.

"Trudge," he groaned, pulling out his keys and walking back over to his vehicle, "I will move my Duel Runner."

Trudge smirked.

Five minutes later, a scowling Konami pulled his Duel Runner into the exact center of the parking spot he'd chosen.

"See?" Trudge asked with a smile, "Now was that so hard?"

"I hate you," Konami whispered. "I hate you so much."

"Eh, feeling's mutual." Trudge replied, "Might want to get in though. Lazar's speech was supposed to start uh…" he glanced at his watch, "…about five minutes ago."

" _Sonuva-!"_

-YGO-

The room was already dark by the time he finally made it inside. Various masses and dark figures crowded his vision, making it hard to determine who or what he was standing beside as he sought out those he could call companions.

The only light source at the moment was the one hovering above Lazar, who was standing above everyone upon a raised podium at the front of the room, speaking of the honor and glory to be found in New Domino.

"-undergone some major changes. The opening of the Daedalus Bridge has linked our city to Satellite. And the World Racing Grand Prix, also known as the WRGP…"

Konami tuned him out in favor of scoping out the crowd. Though it was dark and he couldn't make out exact features, he could still make out shapes, and the people he was looking for…well, they weren't exactly the type whose shapes could blend in.

"Spiky hair, spiky hair, come on!" he whispered beneath his breath while pushing forward. "Where are you guys? I know you can't be _that_ hard to find in here- _oof_!"

Caught off guard as someone suddenly stepped in front of him, Konami stumbled backward into what felt like a curved, feminine figure.

"Oops, sorry," he apologized, only to hear an amused snort in reply.

"Oh my," the figure's womanly voice replied, "you're certainly a bold one."

"Ahaha," Konami chuckled apologetically while stepping around her, only to find himself barred by someone even larger than Trudge.

"Is this person bothering you, ma'am?"

"Well, well," the woman replied, "…I do have to wonder…"

Konami thought it was just his luck that the one person he bumps into – by complete accident, no less - happened to have some burly bodyguard looking out for her.

"Look, clearly it was an accident," he told the bigger figure, "so why don't we just let bygones be bygones and go our separate ways, yeah?"

"I am sure you would like that, wouldn't you? Well, I'm sorry to say that you won't be escaping my gaze that easily, you fiend!"

"Could you like, settle down?" the figure who'd stepped in front of Konami added in, "I'm trying to listen!"

"Why don't you shut up," Konami replied, "considering you're the one who made me trip in the first place-!"

"Oi, that's plenty rude!"

"What, whose being rude?"

"What's with all the noise, I can't hear a word the Director's saying!"

"Everyone needs to shut up, I'm trying to listen!"

And soon, much of the crowd had degenerated into heated whispers and annoyed grunts. No one could hear anything, though Konami was sure the woman he'd bumped into was giggling amusedly at all the fuss. It went on for a while, even Lazar had stopped speaking to gawk at it all, until finally the lights clicked on and-

"ENOUGH!" Mikage, the blue-haired operator of Sector Security shouted, demanding silence as she stepped onto the podium. "I am sure there is plenty of reason to be excited, but please, hold your tongues until _after_ the Director has finished his speech! Anyone who cannot be bothered to at least attempt to remain civil during this event shall be removed. On this, I will not budge, and I will not hesitate!" She ran her gaze amongst the crowd and for a moment – seemed to lock eyes with Konami.

He smiled at her cheekily, earning an annoyed twitch and exasperated sigh. Subtly, and as if understanding his dilemma, she pointed to the far right corner of the room. Konami cast his gaze in that direction and, sure enough, there they were: the people he'd been looking for.

Taking advantage of the distraction Mikage brought, he slipped out of view, making use of the light to traverse the crowd with ease. He thought he heard the burly man grunt in surprise – no doubt noticing he'd vanished – but he no longer cared. He'd been separated from his friends for far too long, and it was long past time for a reunion.

He had just made it over to their area when the lights dimmed once more, and a pair of hands suddenly wrapped themselves around his neck.

"I told you this would happen if you were late," Wisteria whispered into his ear before pecking him on the cheek.

Konami smiled wryly as he hugged the girl back, "Sorry," he apologized. "I had a piggish man-child to deal with."

"Trudge," Wisteria scoffed knowingly. "You'd think going a few months without you would've loosened him up a little."

"He told me I was double-parked."

"And were you?"

Konami shrugged, "Maybe a little."

"You always were a troublemaker."

"In my defense, I was in a hurry."

"Oh were you now?"

"Yeah," Konami nodded, "there was this person I really wanted to see."

"Oh?" Wisteria asked, "And how might that have been?"

"Yo, K-man! What's up?! I haven't seen you in forever!"

With a groan, Wisteria released her hold on Konami and frowned, "Ugh, and just like that the moment's ruined."

"Enzo," Konami greeted cordially as his sandy-haired sidekick bludgeoned his way into the conversation. "So, they dragged you into this thing too, huh?"

"Heh, you kiddin? I've been waiting for the WRGP to start for ages! You weren't around when they first started putting the flyers out for it, but dude, you can't imagine how many people have flown in just to take part in this thing!" Enzo replied eagerly.

"I dunno," Konami replied sarcastically while gesturing to the enormous crowd, "I think I might have some idea. Maybe a teeny, tiny bit."

"Hah, ya got jokes now, very funny."

"Is there something we can help you with?" Wisteria asked, still incensed by Enzo's abrupt interruption.

"Nah, just dropped by to say hi to by old pal for a bit," Enzo explained. He nudged Konami in the arm. "You're not gonna complain, are you? I mean, I haven't seen my pal here in half a year!"

Wisteria rolled her eyes, "A real tragedy, I'm sure."

"Feh, well, at least it's nice to see that _you're_ still the same as ever."

"And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Wisteria huffed, crossing her arms while glaring at Enzo.

"Oh, I think you know exactly what it means," Enzo replied smugly, smirking as he watched the kettle that was Wisteria slowly reach its boiling point.

Konami watched the exchange between the two with a smile. It had been some time since he'd seen Enzo interact with the girl, and while there was nothing he would rather do than see just how better Enzo had gotten at dealing with her…

"Now's probably not the best time for this," he decided, and he walked away.

Or rather, towards someone else.

"Yusei," he called out to the crab-haired figure leaning against the wall. "Yo."

The Turbo King glanced his direction for only a moment, and though Konami almost missed it, a tiny smile had certainly worked its way onto the man's face.

"So, you came after all." Yusei said softly, "It sure has been a while, you look well."

"Yeah, I've been doing alright," Konami replied. "How've you been? Still running the garage with Jack and Crow?"

"Yeah. We've been working on our Duel Runners to prepare for the event. I hear you've got a shiny new ride of your own as well?"

"Ha, you've got that right," Konami grinned. "I got a little bit of a taste of how she rides against Hunter Pace earlier, but if I'm really gonna test her limits then I'll have to ride her against you and the _Yusei Go_ sometime."

Yusei's smile grew just a little bit wider. "You should bring her by the garage. We can take a look at her and see if there's anything that needs improving."

"Sounds like a plan," Konami agreed. He glanced back toward Lazar, who was still going on about New Domino City's improvements. "So, the WRGP…you looking forward to it?"

"Of course," Yusei replied. "I was never really one to go looking for glory, but…they say the WRGP will serve as a symbol of the newfound unity between New Domino and Satellite. If that's really the truth, then I want to be there to take part in it. And…I suppose going up against powerful Turbo Duelists doesn't sound all that bad either."

"Heh, so even you can get fired up over something like this, huh?" Konami inquired. He folded his arms with a smirk and leaned against the wall. "Well, you know I'll be there. A challenge like that sounds way too good to pass up. And…I could probably use the breather."

"Right, Wisteria told me about what happened," Yusei acknowledged. "Have you still not seen any signs?"

"Not one. If I'm honest, it's got me a little on edge."

"Well, if you ever need anything, the others and I have your back."

"Glad to hear it," Konami nodded, "but let's chill with the serious talk for now. Lazar took all the trouble to invite me here, so I guess I had better listen to at least some of what he has to say."

"You mean you weren't listening?" Yusei asked with a surprised look in his eye.

Konami's lips twitched upward as he turned his gaze toward Lazar, "Not one bit."

"-serve as a symbol of our new city. So as thanks to our various sponsors: Bolger & Company, The Crawford Memorial Foundation, Garam Motors, Kojima Robotics, Manjoume Digital Entertainment, Senrigan Network Systems, and Schroider Toys Japan, and as a prelude to the WRGP on this fine day, I would like to announce the opening of the World Tag Duel Grand Prix, or as I'd like to call it, the WTGP!"

Konami's eyes widened, "The World…Tag Duel Grand Prix?"

"Interesting." Yusei murmured.

Konami leaned forward as Lazar continued to explain.

"There's two members to a team, no age limit, and both citizens and non-citizens can join in. Every duelist can participate in the WTGP, which is the purpose of its creation! Matches will be held at Combat Lane, built just outside the city, as will the WRGP finals. Nothing else can compare. Think of it as a way to turn more people on to dueling. The WRGP and the WTGP shall define our city as an even more perfect place to live. New Domino City—where people from all walks of life, young or old, can enjoy a good duel! These two tournaments will be the events of a lifetime and a bridge to eternal peace!"

The crowd went wild as Lazar's speech came to a close. The clown drank in the praise, concluding his segment with an elegant bow before stepping of the podium and vanishing into a back room. With his absence, the crowd slowly began to disperse, but that did not mean the conversations came to an end.

"The WTGP, huh…" Yusei murmured quietly.

"Ha ha!" an energetic voice rang out. Konami glanced toward it to spot a familiar mop of orange hair making its way toward them.

"Crow…" he recognized, earning a smile from the marked Duelist.

"Hey Konami, how've ya been?" Crow asked with a smile. "Man, I can't wait to see who or what's gonna crawl outta the woodwork for this thing!"

"Yeah, sounds pretty exciting if you ask me." Konami agreed.

"There could be quite a few fearsome opponents…" Yusei thought.

"You've got that right," another familiar voice said as it approached. "But know that whoever or whatever comes, I will be there to face it head-on! That's how I'm gonna power my way to the top! All hail Jack Atlas!"

"But Jack," Yusei couldn't help but chime in as his rival joined them, "Tag Duels aren't like regular duels. You need a good strategy to win. And with duelists coming in from all over to join this thing, who knows what could happen."

"That's right," Crow agreed. "The ultimate mystery opponent could be here at this very moment."

"Ultimate mystery opponent?" Jack asked. "Do you see anyone worthy of that title in this crowd?"

"Well, how about this guy in the red hat?" Crow asked, gesturing at Konami.

"Hm?" Jack glanced at Konami idly, only for his eyes to suddenly widen in surprise. "Konami! When did you get here?!"

"Aw, come on, Jack. Show a little manners, huh?" Crow sighed. "You seriously telling us you came all the way over here without noticing him? I knew you were a moocher, but I didn't think you were unobservant too!"

"What?" Jack asked. "Did you just call me a 'moocher'? What's your problem?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Crow asked with a smile. "You're a regular freeloader, sponging off others, so it's perfect."

"Come say that to my face!"

"Hey! You wanna piece of me or what?!"

"Those two, they're always goin' at it." Yusei said.

"Looks like they haven't changed a bit," Konami said.

"Yeah, as rowdy as always, I see." A feminine voice agreed.

Surprised, Konami turned his head to find Akiza walking towards them.

"Oh? Now there's a surprise." Konami mused.

"Aki?" Yusei asked. "I didn't know you were here."

"The WTGP doesn't require a Duel Runner, so it looks like I'll be able to join with no problem." She said, "Oh and, it's good to see you, Red Hat."

"Likewise. Your dueling skills haven't gotten any worse I hope. I'd hate for my greatest opponent to fall behind."

"Careful," she said with a smile, "with talk like that I might just have to show you how strong I've gotten."

"Hey, Izinski." Crow greeted as he and Jack finally broke up for the time being. "I'll bet you're just dying to team up with Yusei, right?"

"Ah," Akiza glanced away for a moment, though Konami noticed the sudden redness of her cheeks. "Well, sure… If you don't mind, Yusei. What do you say we partner up?"

"Don't get caught up in the excitement and make any hasty decisions. Think it over," Yusei told her.

' _Ouch,'_ Konami thought. _'I guess he's still as dense as ever.'_

Akiza seemed to feel the same, if the sudden scowl on her face was any indication.

"Fine…" she told him. "Someone from Duel Academy might be entering the WTGP after all. I might just enter with them. Too bad for you, Yusei, if that's how the chips fall!"

"And I see you're just as prickly as ever." Konami hummed beneath his breath.

"Oh? What's that, Konami?" Crow repeated with a grin. "You think Akiza's being a little prickly? Well, that's because-"

"Good one!" Jack chimed in. "Akiza's best monster is Black Rose Dragon, right?"

Crow grimaced, "No, Jack! That's not what he meant at all!"

As the pair slowly fell into another argument, Konami couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. As much as the two complained, one might never think that they were pals who'd put their lives on the line for each other. He listened to them argue for a little while longer while mingling with Yusei and Akiza. Before he knew it, the crowd had dwindled further, allowing even more of his old friends to find their way to him.

"Hey! Yusei, Akiza!"

"Hm?"

Drawn by the voices, Konami glanced to where the two Signers were being called. A small pair of approaching green hair caught his eye.

"Leo? Luna?" Yusei inquired. "You two are here, too?"

"Uh-huh. How are you, Akiza?" Luna asked. "Isn't this a great party?"

"Crow and Jack, how've you two been?" Leo added with a grin. "I've never been better myself! And uh, whoa, hold up! Is that who I think it is?!"

"Yo," Konami said, raising his hand in a lazy wave.

"Whoa, Konami! So you're finally back huh?! Where'd you go? You just up and vanished on us all of a sudden!" Leo shouted in surprise.

"There was a…heh, there was a disturbance in the force."

"Really?" Luna asked. "I hadn't heard anything from the spirits."

"That's because it was a… _special_ …disturbance." Konami murmured. "But enough about that! How have you two been? Still going to Duel Academy?"

"Well, duh!" Leo replied. "We should duel sometime so you can see just how much better I've gotten at using Power Tool Dragon! Luna's gotten loads better too, just you wait and see!"

"Speaking of dueling," Luna chimed in, "You guys are gonna duel in the WTGP too, right?"

"That's the plan," Yusei told her.

"Riding or standing, shrinkin' away from a duel isn't my style." Jack agreed.

"Same here!" Leo chirped. "Since I can't ride a Duel Runner, I can't exactly join the WRGP…so I'll definitely be goin' for the top prize in the WTGP!"

Luna smiled, "That's my brother for you. He's a real show-off, through and through!"

"If all of us are joining in, this could turn out to be quite fun," Akiza noted.

"You better believe it!" Crow grinned. "But, on top of that, it'll be held at Combat Lane, which'll also be used for the WRGP."

"If we know the course inside and out, that can change what settings we use for our Duel Runners," Yusei explained.

"That's right," Konami realized. "I hadn't even thought of that…"

"Really?" Akiza blinked. "Seems like there's a lot to Duel Runners and Turbo Duels then…."

"By the way, Yusei," Jack interrupted, "If not Akiza, who've you got in mind for a tag partner?"

"Actually, I haven't decided yet." Yusei said, "I've had my mind on the WRGP this whole time. How about you?"

"Heh," Jack smirked, "Who I team up with is irrelevant. In fact, what about you, Konami? How about we partner up, eh?"

Konami smiled wryly, "Well, uh…"

"Hold on, Jack." Yusei interrupted, "Since the WTGP is made up of Tag Duels, you better think about it. The same goes for you, Konami. If you find someone you wanna team up with, you should take a minute or two to speak with them and make sure it fits."

"The cards will bring two people together if they're meant to team up, right?" Jack inquired.

"You got it," Yusei agreed.

"Well then, since we're reuniting here, isn't it possible that one of us are bound to team up with Konami?" Jack asked.

"Sorry but, I think you're about to have your hands full as is, Jack." Konami replied wryly.

"Hm?" the former King asked, only for a blur of black hair to suddenly catch him off-guard.

"Jack! There you are!" Carly Carmine, a reporter and Konami's very first 'partner' in New Domino cried out.

"What the…?! Carly?!" Jack staggered. "Y-You're here too?"

"Of course I am!" Carly exclaimed happily, "I can't pass up the chance to get a story on all these famous duelists! Now 's the time to do some serious fact-finding! Yes, it's time to do some serious fact-finding, but…if you still need a partner, Jack, maybe I'm just who you need…? We'd make the perfect team, Jack. So how about it?"

Jack coughed.

"I'll, uh, think about it. This is a big, er…" Jack looked away from her, "important decision, after all. Anyway, I, uh… totally forgot I need to go shopping for some late night snacks now."

"Hah?!" Carly asked as Jack suddenly began speeding away from her. "Hey! Hold your horses, Jack!"

As the two ran off, Konami couldn't help but watch them go with a frown. "The way he was acting…don't tell me he's still feeling awkward about the whole Dark Signer thing? Is he avoiding Mikage because of it too?"

"…Yeah, he's been having a rough time of it." Yusei said.

"Well that sucks. Although…" Konami murmured as he thought of those events, "I can kind of understand."

Even now, it was sometimes hard to remember that just a short while ago, Carly had tried to off Konami and the city of New Domino in a world takeover scheme enacted by the Dark Signers. It wasn't her fault, of course. She and several others had been consumed by their hatred because of the Earthbound Immortals, but still…being forced to fight against former friends…it was enough to make anyone's heart break. And for Jack, knowing that two of the Dark Signers were women who held important feelings for him, well….

He wasn't the Konami best suited to deal with that kind of talk.

' _Now that I think about it, I wonder how the other me is handling things.'_ Konami thought worriedly, _'Should I have tried to talk to him about Yuma, or would that have been overstepping by bounds?'_ A grimace slowly began to make its way onto his face. _'I should speak with Enzo, see if he knows anything-"_

But he couldn't, because just as he raised his head and stepped forward to do just that, something caught his eye…or rather, _someone_.

"Yo, Konami. How's it going? Did you make it in on time?"

The voice sent a shiver down Konami's spine, and he glared at its owner, the very man who had ensured he was late in the first place.

"Trudge," Konami grimaced. "Come to harass me some more, have you?"

"Actually, we're just going on some rounds," Mikage said with a sigh, stepping forward beside Trudge. "Really, I know I said to make sure everyone was enjoying the event, but can't you focus on your work?"

Trudge chuckled wryly for a bit, before letting a slow frown overtake his expression. "Right, sorry…"

"Arena patrol, huh?" Yusei asked, "Sounds rough."

"Thanks for the save earlier, Mikage." Konami said.

"You're welcome, I suppose." She replied, "As the new Sector Chief, it's my responsibility to make sure I'm of use to the citizens here."

"Ah, so Lazar's running Goodwin's show, and you're doing what Lazar used to, huh?" Konami inquired, "I thought that was the case earlier, but at any rate, it seems like you've grown into the role well."

"By the way," Mikage said, "isn't Mr. Atlas with you today? I thought I saw him over here earlier?"

"He was with us until just a few moments ago," Yusei replied candidly.

"Ah, so I missed him. Well, bad timing, I guess."

Konami laughed, "So, hey, about this WTGP thing…are you two going to be competing?"

"Every part of my being wants to be," Trudge grunted.

"Unfortunately, we just don't have the time." Mikage explained, "We'll probably have to help manage it instead."

"With keeping watch and so on, I don't think we can squeeze a break in for days. Still, I can't complain! It's a living, after all." Trudge chuckled.

"Despite that," said Mikage with a grimace, "spectators will be pouring in from all over the world. I'm getting a headache just by thinking about it."

"Well, I've got some aspirin in my Duel Runner if you need some," Trudge offered.

Mikage shook her head, "I'll be fine. Anyway," she said, turning to both Yusei and Konami, "it was nice seeing you two, but Trudge and I should really get back to work. I still have a lot of paperwork to file, and Trudge, the Arena still needs patrolling!"

"Yeah, yeah…" Trudge muttered, "I'm on it. Yusei, Konami…stay outta trouble, ya hear?"

"Yeah," Yusei agreed with a smile, and without another word, the two trudged off.

"You're the one who needs to stay outta trouble," Konami grumbled beneath his breath. Yusei glanced at him curiously, but didn't say anything. However, someone else did.

"Excuse me," a blonde woman said, approaching the pair mere seconds after Mikage and Trudge had left. "You're Yusei Fudo, right? Heh, I recognized you right away."

"Oh? And who might you be?" Yusei asked.

The blonde smiled. "My name is Sherry LeBlanc. I'm only interested in big, strong men, just like you, Yusei. Tell me, did you already choose a partner?"

"Not yet, but I'm probably not what you need."

The smile on LeBlanc's face faltered for but a moment, "Why not?"

"In Tag Duels, it's important to know your partner well, but we just met, so…."

"So?" Sherry retorted, "Time has nothing to do with it. There are ways for us to get more…intimate…. All it'll take is a few turns together, and you'll have a deep understanding of me. But today, I just came over to say hi. Au revoir, for now." She turned away for a moment, only to suddenly pause and glance at Konami, "Oh, and you, in the red hat. You don't look like a typical duelist either. How about it? Would you like to be my partner?"

Konami raised his hands wryly with a soft smile, "I'll…think about it."

"You'll think about it?" Sherry repeated curiously. A soft sigh followed, "Pity. I wanted a strong man to take me by the arm here and now. But I am not a woman who gives up on someone so easily, especially not one as forward as you."

"Eh?"

The smile on Sherry's face grew a little more as Konami realized what she meant, and she turned with a flap of her long hair.

"I'll see you two again. Come along, Elsworth."

The large, bulky figure that had caused Konami problems earlier stepped out of the shadows at that moment, then proceeded to follow the strange woman out of the facility. Konami watched the pair go with a conflicted expression.

' _Don't tell me, that lady was the person I bumped into earlier-?!'_

"Sherry, huh?" Yusei asked. "She's rather forward…but she must have faith in her dueling skills if she's that confident about finding a partner."

"Yeah…."

At Konami's lackluster tone, Yusei turned to look at him. "Are you alright?" he asked, "You don't look so good."

"Nah, I'm good. Just…rethinking some life decisions, that's all."

"I see… By the way, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but there's someone's whose been looking over here for a while now."

"Huh?" Konami blinked in surprise, "There is?"

"Across the room, far left corner." Yusei explained.

Konami cast his gaze in that direction, only to just barely catch a glimpse of a sleek figure vanishing through the doors.

"Looks like I missed him…."

"He was staring at me the whole time," Yusei explained.

"That guy huh?" Trudge's voice grunted as he walked back over. "I had him pegged as suspicious myself."

"Trudge…" Yusei murmured.

"He was definitely staring at you."

"Sure you weren't imagining things?" Konami asked.

"Maybe you're right. I'm so wrapped up in my job, they all look a little suspicious. Which reminds me, Konami."

"Hm?" Konami asked, glancing up into Trudge's face.

"You wouldn't happen to have a blue version of your outfit, would you?" Trudge wondered. "It's just that earlier, I thought I saw-"

Whatever Trudge saw was going to have to wait, as right at that moment, a sharp ring rang through the air.

 _KONAMI-KUN! KONAMI-KUN!_

"Yes," Konami asked, flipping out his cell and raising the receiver to his ear. "This is Konami-kun."

"Ko-kun! Where are you?" Wisteria asked. "There's something you have to come see!"

"Huh? I'm still at the reception," Konami replied. "Why? Did something happen?"

"No, it's just – look, it'll be easier to explain if you just come over here, alright? Enzo and I are by the entrance. Get over here as soon as you can, okay?!"

"Yes, yes. I'm on my way as we speak." Konami said, "Later."

He flipped the phone shut then smiled apologetically to Yusei and Trudge.

"Sorry, guys, but I'm gonna have to cut this short. Wisteria's calling, and you know she gets if I keep her waiting."

"Heh, looks like we all have women troubles, eh Red Hat?" Trudge smirked wryly.

"Women troubles?" Yusei asked with a frown. "What do you mean?"

Laughing as Trudge did a double-take, Konami waved bye to the two before heading back into the crowd. It had dispersed quite a bit since he last traversed its masses; that and the presence of actual light made it far easier to pass than his previous attempt. In no time at all, he had arrived at the entrance where his two friends were waiting, just in time to see what it was they were so riled up about.

"Okay, here I am. So, what's going on?" Konami asked.

"Look, look!" Enzo whispered, glancing out the doorway as inconspicuously as he could without looking like some kind of creep. "You've got a lookalike, pal! A true blue fan…who's actually blue!"

Wondering just what the hell Enzo was going on about, Konami glanced over the boy's shoulder to take a look for himself…only for his eyes to widen dramatically as he did.

Just outside, seated upon a sleek black Duel Runner, was someone dressed the exact same way he was. They had the same jacket, the same pants, the same shoulder and kneepads, even the same damn hat! It was like looking into a mirror, but…the colors were off-inverted even. The red that Konami associated himself with had been replaced by a cold blue, nearly the exact same blue that Yusei wore!

"Okay," Konami murmured. "That's…neat, I guess. I mean, it's not exactly like I wear tailor-made stuff, so I suppose it's possible someone could coincidentally wear the same stuff I do…even if it's in an uglier color. What's the problem?"

"The problem is he's been sitting out there for a while now!" Enzo snickered. "Maybe he knows you're here? Maybe he wants your autograph."

"So…what? You're saying he's a fan?" Konami asked.

"Maybe you should go talk to them." Wisteria suggested. "It's not every day you find someone who has the exact same fashion sense you do."

"Okay but like, you realize Yusei and I wear the exact same kind of jacket, right?" Konami asked.

"But does he wear a hat though?"

Konami rolled his eyes, "Thanks Enzo. Thanks for always asking the serious questions."

"You're welcome."

Konami scrunched his nose together and sighed, "Alright. Fine, I'll go talk to the guy. But if this winds up being nothing, I'm totally telling you guys I told you so!"

With those words, he stepped around the pair and passed through the double doors leading outside. Almost immediately, he felt his eyes adjust to the darker parking lot. The moon's gaze had long moved past it, leaving only a few frail lamps and twinkling stars to light a path. Still, Konami could make out his blue copycat clearly, and as he drew closer to the figure, he couldn't help but feel some sort of familiarity….

"That's far enough, Red Hat." His copycat said as they came to be only five meters apart. "If you were to come much closer, there's no telling what might happen."

' _Great,'_ Konami thought, _'so this guy is one of the weird types, huh?'_

"I was waiting for you to finally appear before me," his blue copycat continued unimpeded. "I thought I'd be waiting a while longer, but I suppose my presence here has already changed a few things."

"And just who are you supposed to be again?" Konami asked, unimpressed. "I'm sorry, it's just – the whole cloak and dagger thing gets a little boring after a while, you know? I just got back from a six month job playing the part and, well, I'm not exactly too enthusiastic about having someone else do it to me."

"Ever the joker," his copycat replied. "We'll see how long that lasts once everything you know starts to fall apart."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"You heard me," the copycat grunted. "The Vylon…they aren't as gone as they'd have you believe. While you dilly-dally around, wasting time with foolish events like the WTGP…they'll be preparing, waiting for the opportune moment to strike!"

The mention of the Vylon was enough to get rise out of Konami.

"Who are you?!" he demanded, taking a step forward to approach the figure. "What do you know about the Vylon?!"

"Enough," the copycat replied. "Enough to know that they aren't the ones you should be worried about. Enough to know that if you are going to defeat them, you're going to need my help. And when I say you…" he continued, reaching up to pull off the blue cap that had shrouded the top half of his face in shadow, "…I do mean… _you_."

Konami's eyes widened as he gazed at the figure's face.

"My name is Konami Kodo," the figure explained, his face an exact match of Konami's own. "And this is how I lost the war."

* * *

 **Chapter One**

* * *

 **A Night to Remember -** **END**

* * *

 **And so we take care of the events of the prologue and begin to step into the actual plot. Let's see where things go from here.**


	2. An Altered Dawn! Red vs Blue!

_"I was waiting for you to finally appear before me," his blue copycat said. "I thought I'd be waiting a while longer, but I suppose my presence here has already changed a few things."_

 _"And just who are you supposed to be again?" Konami asked, unimpressed. "I'm sorry, it's just - the whole cloak-and-dagger thing gets a little boring after a while, y'know? I just got back from doing that for a long six months and, well, I'm not too enthusiastic about having someone else do it to me now."_

 _"Ever the joker," his copycat replied. "We'll see how long that lasts once everything you know starts to fall apart."_

 _"I'm sorry, what was that?"_

 _"You heard me," the copycat grunted. "The Vylon...they aren't as gone as everyone would have you believe. While you dilly-dally around, wasting time with foolish events like the WTGP...they'll be preparing, waiting for the opportune moment to strike!"_

 _The mention of the Vylon was enough to get a rise out of Konami._

 _"Who are you?!" he demanded, stepping forward to approach the figure. "What do you know about the Vylon?!"_

 _"Enough," the copycat replied. "Enough to know that they aren't the only ones you should be worried about. Enough to know that if you're going to defeat them, you're going to need my help. And when I say you..." he continued, reaching up to pull off the blue cap that had shrouded his face in shadow, "I do mean...you."_

 _Konami's eyes widened as he gazed at the figure's face._

 _"Allow me to reintroduce myself," the figure explained, his face an exact match of Konami's own. "My name is KONAMI KODO, and what you're doing now...is how I lost the war."_

" _You're…another me?" Konami asked, surprised. After a moment, he shook his head. "So what?" he asked, "I'm supposed to believe that you're me from another dimension or something?"_

 _"Let's go for a ride," KONAMI replied, turning to mount his Duel Runner. "Any questions or concerns you might have about my identity...I'll blow them all away, with the power of a Duel!"_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Two**_

* * *

 _ **An Altered Dawn! Red vs Blue!**_

* * *

And so, they drove.

They pulled out of the stadium parking lot, turned onto the first highway exit they could find, and pulled into the new lanes built for high-speed Turbo Dueling. All the while, Konami couldn't help but wonder. Wonder...and stare.

As their vehicles rode side by side, Konami had to admit - the resemblance was uncanny. Outside of the obvious color change, his other self - KONAMI, he recalled - was an exact match. They had the same height, the same hair, even their eye colors matched! And soon, he'd find out if their Decks and Duel Style matched as well.

"We've driven far enough," he told his blue counterpart, "let's get this game going already!"

"Fine by me," KONAMI replied, pulling ahead ever so slightly. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you'll understand just what it is you're going up against. We'll use _Speed World 2!_ With this version of the Field Spell, we both gain Speed Counters on each turn!"

"That's fine," Konami agreed. "But don't think it'll make a difference!"

KONAMI chuckled, "I'll show you how much of a difference it can make. Now, it's time for you to find out just how outmatched you are! Let the Turbo Duel begin..."

 _ **DUEL!**_

 _ **KONAMI(RED) VS KONAMI(BLUE)**_

"Since I'm further ahead, I'll be taking the first move!" KONAMI declared. As he spoke, the highway before them twisted and turned, separating them from the local traffic. It was a relatively new development in New Domino City, a means to prevent the disasters of the prior year while still allowing prominent Turbo Duelists to settle disagreements as they saw fit.

Following his counterpart down the Turbo Lane, Konami couldn't help but bite back a smile. Moving ahead mid-conversation to steal the first turn did sound like something he'd pull, not that he had any intention of letting his copycat know that. Besides, if the man spoke the truth, he already knew.

"Fine by me," Konami told him. "But don't think that just because you're going first means you'll win that much easier. After all, while you may have the advantage of setting up a field, I'm still the one who'll make the first attack!"

 _That's what I'm counting on_ , KONAMI thought. "Alright then, here we go. It's my turn, Draw!"

 **TURN ONE - KONAMI(BLUE) - 4000 LP - SIX CARDS IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 1**

"I'll start things off by summoning my Armageddon Knight in Attack Position," he began, flinging his Level Four Monster card down upon his Duel Board. A golden light burst from his Duel Runner as he did, showering the field with Solid Vision particles that slowly manifested as the summoned monster.

He had long black hair and dark tanned skin, most of which was obscured by the rusted steel armor that covered him from the neck down. A long black scarf wrapped around his face, flowing freely through the wind as he hovered by his master's Duel Runner. An old cutlass with a spiked hilt sat dangerously in his right hand, and he gestured it toward Konami's figure, as if threatening to cut him down if he so much as twitched in the wrong direction. Overall, he didn't make for an extraordinarily menacing figure, but Konami supposed he could prove quite intimidating...against a first-time Duelist, anyway.

 _Armageddon Knight - LV4 - DARK - Warrior - (1400/1200)_

"Armageddon Knight, huh?" he asked his other self. "Haven't seen that guy in a while. What Deck are you running? Dark Armed Dragon? Darkness Metal?"

"You'll find out soon enough," KONAMI replied, "because I'm activating my Knight's ability. When he's summoned, I can send one DARK monster from my Deck to the Graveyard, and I have just the one in mind." He grabbed his Deck, flipping through it until he found a single card that he quickly slid into his Graveyard. "I send Doom Submarine!"

"Doom Submarine?" Konami asked, navigating his Duel Runner's computer to check the sent card. Though no effects were shown, the artwork did display itself. As stated, it was - in fact - a submarine. At least, it looked like one. A pair of arms extended from its sides, however, and a strange glowing orb shone with some kind of dark energy. Above it, a single periscope sat ready to deploy, accompanied by a single red eye.

 _A machine-type then? Or maybe a fiend?_ Konami thought. He shook his head then glanced to his copycat. "I don't recognize that monster. Is it from the future?"

"No, it's from the past." KONAMI replied, "Although, I don't think _you've_ ever had the honor of facing it in battle. If you have, it must have been so long ago that you've already forgotten!"

"Then it must not be a very good card, or at the very least, wasn't used very well." Konami retorted.

KONAMI smirked, "You'll see how useful it is soon enough. For now though, I'll set one card face-down and end my Turn."

"Then it's my Turn," Konami replied. "Now to show you how the real deal throws down! I draw!"

 **TURN TWO - KONAMI(RED) - 4000 LP - SIX CARDS IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 2**

"I summon Dark Valkyria in Attack Mode!" he shouted. Another emission of Solid Vision particles accompanied his words, and as he placed his chosen card upon his Duel Runner's Monster Zone, they condensed into a single shining point. Then, it burst, revealing a brand new monster with which he could do battle.

She was a woman with dark purple hair and blue eyes, garbed in a crimson chest of armor and a white battle skirt. Her hands were wreathed in white gloves that ran up to her forearms, and at the end of each one was a single glowing blue orb, shining with the power of the fairy race. Her boots were also white, rising up to her knees before giving way to the bare skin that many otaku would drool over. However, absolute territory aside, her defining trait was most certainly the pair of metallic white wings sprouting from her back. That being said, she was not summoned to display her majesty. Rather, it was her efficiency in combat that saw her take to the field, and soon, that prowess would make itself known.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)_

"Dark Valkyria, is it?" KONAMI asked from further down the highway. "I was wondering which Deck you would use to face me. Photon, Ally, Vylon...but in the end, it seems you've decided to fight with your Gemini Deck, have you?"

"You got a problem with that?" Konami shot back.

"Not at all," KONAMI told him. "I know full well the capabilities of those cards. After all, I once used them myself."

Konami tsk'd. "Then you know what move I'm about to make!" he shouted, reaching for another card in his hand. "I'm activating a Speed Spell. It'll slow me down, but it'll give my monster the boost it needs to help me defeat you! I remove two Speed Counters to activate...Supervise!"

A hologram of the card displayed itself as Konami's Duel Runner slowed, a side effect of losing multiple Speed Counters.

"Supervise?" KONAMI asked, slowing his own Duel Runner ever so slightly to remain in Konami's sight. "So, you're going for it?"

"This is an equip spell I can use with any Gemini Monster I control," Konami explained. "As you know, Gemini Monsters have to be Normal Summoned twice to gain their special abilities. However, Supervise allows me to bypass that step, granting them the power of the Gemini immediately! Naturally, since my Dark Valkyria is the only monster I control right now, I'm equipping Supervise to her!"

The Supervise card hologram shrunk as he spoke, before slowly hovering backward until it vanished inside of Dark Valkyria. A crimson red aura slowly began to emanate from her body, but it soon dissipated, vanishing completely as she gripped her head in pain. Then, as if struck by a sudden, horrible thought, her eyes snapped wide open, and her innocent blue pupils swirled into a hateful red. Her hair color soon followed, losing all of its hue as the power of the Gemini engulfed her whole. Her magnificent wings then began to corrode, chipping away to reveal a sinister set of black wings that shone with the power of darkness. Her armor, too, had changed. The crimson chest had become dark blue, and the frilly white skirt was gone, replaced by a black leather set that grew down to her knees. Even her gloves and boots had been stained black, and with a terrible, ear-piercing scream, her fair skin turned a pale purple, signalling the completion of her growth.

"Hmph, so there she is," KONAMI noted. "I suppose now you'll make use of her effect?"

"That's right," Konami confirmed, throwing a single hand forward. "Dark Valkyria's effect...when she is face-up on the field, I can place a Spell Counter on her, increasing her Attack Points by three hundred!"

For the second time, a crimson aura began to emit from Dark Valkyria. Her face twisted into something between pain and rage, and then, she gathered the flowing energy into her hands, morphing it to create a single spear of energy that she could use as she pleased.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (2100/1050)_

"And now, to activate the second part of that effect," Konami continued. "By removing the Spell Counter I just placed on her, I can destroy one face-up monster on the field! The monster I choose is..." he paused for a moment and then pointed directly at the scarfed warrior, "your Armageddon Knight!"

"Hah!" Dark Valkyria laughed, rearing back her arm to launch her energy spear. A second later, she flung it forward with a thunderous howl, launching it toward KONAMI's field and the Armageddon Knight. The dark warrior raised his cutlass to meet the attack, but his swing was far too slow, and with a blazing roar, the spear stabbed into his chest. Armageddon Knight coughed, black liquid spewing from his lips. Slowly, he glanced down to where the spear sat impaled in his chest, but before he could even so much as move to try and remove it, his body faded into golden light and vanished into the wind.

"Rest in peace," KONAMI muttered.

"Your monster might," Konami replied, "but we're not done with you yet. Since my Spell Counter is gone now, my Dark Valkyria's Attack Points drop back down to Eighteen Hundred, however!" he threw an intimidating finger toward his counterpart, "With no monsters on your field, you're defenseless! Go, Dark Valkyria! Attack that imposter directly!"

"Gladly," Dark Valkyria whispered, shooting forward like a bird who had just spotted its prey. Her wings cut through the air with ease, and the red orbs decorating her person began to glow with power. Scowling, she began to gather the growing energy, allowing it to flow toward her waiting palm. There, it condensed, sparking under pressure as it awaited a swift and violent release. Closer and closer she flew toward KONAMI's Duel Runner, and then-

"Dark Blast!"

With a single cry, she outstretched her palm and released the power in a violent stream of red energy. It tore through the highway, closing the gap between her and the Duel Runner in seconds. Then, it hit. An explosion rocked the street, sending smoke and debris flying through the air. None of it was real, of course. Solid Vision had a way of making things look far more dangerous than they actually were. Still, it made everything far more entertaining, part of the reason why the substance was still used to this day.

"Guh...!" KONAMI hissed, his Duel Runner bursting out of the smoke looking none the worse for wear. "Good job, you landed a solid blow."

Indeed, he had. Already he could see his opponent's Life Points dropping to register the direct attack.

 **KONAMI(BLUE) - 2200 LP**

 **KONAMI(RED) - 4000 LP**

"And I plan on landing a lot more," Konami replied, watching as Dark Valkyria returned to his side. "Unfortunately, I've used up all my attacks, so I'll set one card face-down and end my Turn."

"Then it looks like things are about to get interesting, because it's my move now!" KONAMI replied. "I draw!"

 **TURN THREE - KONAMI(BLUE) - 2200 LP - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 3**

"I'm activating the effect of my Doom Submarine!" KONAMI declared immediately. His Graveyard Zone began to glow, signalling the monster's effect starting to activate. "Once per Duel, while I control no monsters while this card is in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon it! So, rise up, Doom Submarine. It's time to make your presence known!"

A swirling pool of darkness emerged as he spoke, and from it, the periscope of the abandoned submarine began to emerge. It slowly ascended, followed by the glowing sphere of dark energy, and further still by the main body of the monster itself.

 _Doom Submarine - LV9 - DARK - Machine - (0/300)_

 _Those stats,_ Konami thought, _so it was a Machine-type after all. But a Level 9 with those Attack and Defense Points? Just what is he playing at here?_

"Next," KONAMI continued, ignorant to his younger self's thoughts, "I activate Call of the Haunted, restoring the life of my slain warrior!"

A card hologram of the activated Trap materialized behind him as he explained, and it slowly gave way to a large black coffin that hovered above his Duel Runner.

"Now, revive my loyal soldier," KONAMI stated. "Return and serve me again, Armageddon Knight!"

The coffin shattered with a loud roar, revealing a decayed and almost-zombified version of the fallen warrior. A purple aura had surrounded his form, granting him new life as he rose up to serve his master anew.

 _Armageddon Knight - LV4 - DARK - Warrior - (1400/1200)_

 _So now he's up to two monsters,_ Konami thought. _What's his plan here? Is he planning to Tribute Summon them? He can't go for a Synchro, neither of them are Tuners, and even if they were, I don't know of any Level Thirteen Monsters besides the Crimson Devil!_

"Right now I'm sure you're wondering...just what I plan on doing with these two monsters," KONAMI said, breaking Konami from his thoughts. "Well, allow me to inform you. With these two monsters, Doom Submarine...and Armageddon Knight...I shall perform...a Symchro Summon."

"What?" Konami asked, "But how? You can't Synchro Summon a Level Thirteen monster, it's unheard of! Besides, neither of those monsters are Tuners, so even if you wanted to-"

" _When did you decide that neither of these were Tuners?_ " KONAMI interrupted.

Konami paused, stunned.

"I'll have you know..." KONAMI continued, "that Doom Submarine is a Tuner Monster!"

"A Level Nine Tuner?" Konami asked. "Just what sort of monster are you planning on bringing out then?"

KONAMI chuckled, "Are you truly so confused? I suppose I can't blame you. After all, as far as I remember, you've never had the luxury of facing this particular card in battle, although...I'm fairly certain you at least know of the term. Yes, the monster I intend to summon...is a Dark Synchro!"

Konami's eyes widened.

Dark Synchro, of course he knew the term. How could he not, when it was the weapon of the Dark Signers who sought to destroy the world so long ago?

"Dark Synchro? So, that's it then. That Doom Submarine of yours, it's a Dark Tuner!"

"Correct," KONAMI confirmed. "And with it, I shall tune my Armageddon Knight to summon a monster with a negative Level."

"Hold it," Konami shouted, "that sort of dueling is dangerous! If you're really me, then you should know more than anyone else just how bad summoning such a monster could be! What're you trying to do, open a door to darkness?!"

"Yes," KONAMI replied, thrusting his hand forward, "and in doing so I shall reveal... _a world without light!_ "

A black stream of electricity followed his words, cutting through Konami's vision as the process began. With a sudden scream, Doom Submarine had vanished, replaced by nine swirling orbs that quickly hurled themselves toward the revived Armageddon Knight. Each sphere battered and bruised the warrior they surged inside, and soon, all of them had vanished, moving to reside within the cursed warrior's heart. For a moment, all went still. Then, the knight screamed.

Piece by piece, his body was torn asunder, ripped to shreds from the inside out as surging black spikes burst out from within. Konami watched the scene in awed horror, unable to look away as the warrior screamed and begged for death. Alas, that sweet embrace would not come, and its suffering dragged on.

" _Level Nine Doom Submarine,_ " KONAMI breathed, _"Embrace my Level Four Armageddon Knight, and show me what lies beyond! Dark Synchro! Negative Five, FROZEN FITZGERALD!"_

With one last shout, Armageddon Knight shattered completely, his body giving way to a pillar of jagged ice that convulsed and spread out into a cross-shaped form. Only the warrior's head remained, but that too was soon changed, skin peeling away to reveal a pale white mask with glowing red eyes. The new monster let loose a cold screech, and Konami winced, feeling the vibrations of the monster's scream reverberating throughout his very soul.

 _Frozen Fitzgerald - NLV5 - WATER - Fiend - (2500/2500)_

"Damn, he actually went and did it...!" he cursed, shaking his head as he moved to retain control of his shivering Duel Runner. "Oi, imposter! Just what are you playing at here?! Are you intending to make this a Shadow Duel?!"

"A Shadow Duel? Don't be ridiculous," KONAMI replied, "If that were the case, you would have been beaten long ago. No, this is merely a demonstration."

"A demonstration? Of what, exactly?!"

KONAMI smirked, "Of what lies beyond your current strength."

With those words, he revved his engine, speeding even further ahead. Konami cursed and gave chase, having no intention of giving his foe any more of an advantage.

"I may have summoned a Dark Synchro monster, but I'm far from finished!" KONAMI explained. "You wanted to see proof of my identity, and I think it's high time I gave it to you! So, I activate the effect of the Dark Goddess Witaka from my hand! By paying 1000 Life Points, I can Special Summon in Attack Position!"

He placed the card upon his Duel Disk and watched as a sleek black orb materialized before him. It hovered there for a moment, before suddenly growing in size and revealing a brand new monster.

It was a rather strange and eerie figure that emerged from the sphere. Her limbs were scattered and unattached to one another, though still retained a somewhat humanoid shape. At least, that's what it looked like from the waist up. A pale mask with red glowing eyes stared out into the void, accompanied by eight flowing locks of green hair. A small black orb hovered above it, held in place by a ninth lock of hair that looped around in a circular shape. Whatever torso the monster might have had was completely hidden by the flowing black cape that was wreathed beneath Witaka's neck, and below that was nothing, save for a single triangular shape that Konami could only assume served as its legs. It had no arms, and no shoulders, from what he could tell. It's hands hovered in the air, each appendage separate from the other, yet still connected by some invisible force.

It cackled.

 **KONAMI(BLUE) - 1200 LP - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 3**

 _Dark Goddess Witaka - LV3 - DARK - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"Witaka's effect activates!" KONAMI continued. "While she's face-up on the field, I can change her Level to match that of a Synchro Monster I control. Though it may be a Dark Synchro Monster, my Frozen Fitzgerald still meets that requirement! Therefore, I change Witaka's Level to Negative Five!"

The Dark Goddess cackled some more as a chilling blue aura began to surround her, emanating the same sensations that Konami felt from Fitzgerald.

 _Dark Goddess Witaka - NLV5 - Dark - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"Two Negative Level Five monsters?" Konami asked, "What are you planning now?"

"I'm sure you realize," KONAMI replied. "After all, there is a certain summoning mechanic that can be used when there are monsters of the same Level on the field, isn't there?"

Konami's eyes widened in shock. "What?! No way, you can't mean-!"

"Yes!" KONAMI interrupted. "Xyz Summon! However, this will be unlike any Xyz you've seen before! An Xyz Summon making use of Negative Levels...what I intend to accomplish now...can only be referred to as _Dark Xyz_!"

 _Dark Xyz?!_ Konami thought.

 _"Frozen Fitzgerald...Dark Goddess Witaka...with these two monsters, I shall construct the Overlay Network!_ " KONAMI chanted, thrusting his hand into the air as dark-red lines began to spread down his arm. Konami stared at them in shock, recognizing them for what they were.

"Those markings...they're just like mine!"

Dark clouds began to roll in from the distance, sparking with the electricity that could only belong to a dangerous thunderstorm. Shadows cast themselves against the two racing Runners, enshrouding them in even darker shadows as KONAMI's two monsters began to coalesce into one.

 _"Formed from pitch-black despair, the vessel of revenge shall make itself known. Cloaked in shadow and unrivaled in hate, its rage shall trample all in my path! Dark Xyz! Appear, Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon!"_

A single bolt of lightning fell their way as he finished his chant, and Konami moved to slam the brakes. His Duel Runner slid and skidded across the highway, narrowly avoiding the falling demise even as his other self charged full speed ahead. He and his Duel Runner vanished into the lightning, disappearing with the two Negative Monsters. Then, as quickly as he had disappeared, KONAMI was back, with a brand new beast.

Konami hadn't noticed it at first. So lost in surprise, he almost didn't see the sudden shadow swooping overhead. Indeed, it was only his own monster's surprised gasp that brought him to his senses, and as he moved his gaze to sky, he saw it.

It was the wings that gave it away. The black wings of death, spread so elegantly throughout the night, enrapturing all who looked above to gaze upon its wicked splendor. Beautiful but deadly, treachery incarnate. The crooked things swiveled and turned, alit with the dark purple lines of the sealed Earthbound that resided within.

Wiraqocha Rasca, the sealed devil in a jar.

Dragon though it might be, Rasca Alt's likeness to the beast could not be denied. There were no scales to be seen, now. No shining claws or jagged teeth. Only the shadows remained. The shadows of darker shadows, wrapped in a pitch-black foil that glowed only with the light of the Nazca Lines within.

How big was that thing?

As tall as a skyscraper? With the girth of two? Half the size of a real Earthbound, at least. More than enough to lay waste to the city, if it so desired.

But did it?

What was its purpose here, why had it come, and how?! Konami owned a Rasca Dawn Dragon, he knew it's identity could not replicated so easily, and yet - here one stood, ready and waiting to devour him whole!

Another bolt of lightning cracked the sky, and Rasca Alt's brazen roar followed, sharing with the world it's own special brand of despair.

 _ **Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon**_ _-_ _ **Negative Rank 5**_ _-_ _ **DARK**_ _-_ _**Dragon**_ _-_ _ **(2500/2000)**_

"What is this?! How do you have a card like that?!" Konami shouted, demanding answers from his blue-capped other.

"Do you really want to know?" KONAMI asked.

"Rasca Dawn Dragon isn't a monster you can just buy from any card shop!" Konami continued. "It's a special kind of monster, one whose power can't be replicated by ordinary means! And you...you've taken that power, and pushed it even further beyond! How?! Tell me!"

"If you really want to know..." KONAMI growled, "...then come and see for yourself! I activate Rasca Alt's effect! When it's summoned, I can discard up to three cards from my hand, and if I do, it gains five hundred Attack Points for each card! I still have four cards in my hand, so I'll discard my Dark Grepher, Dark Tinker, and Weeping Idol to raise my monster's Attack to Four Thousand!"

"What?!"

Rasca Alt's roar reverberated through the city once more, shattering the glass of nearby buildings as it turned to stare at the younger Konami.

 _ **Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon**_ _-_ _ **Negative Rank 5**_ _-_ _ **DARK**_ _-_ _ **Dragon**_ _-_ _ **(4000/2000)**_

"F-Four Thousand Attack Points, just like that?!" Konami gasped.

"Now, I'll activate my monster's second effect!" KONAMI continued with a roar of his own. "By detaching one Xyz Material, I can destroy one monster on the field! I detach Dark Goddess Witaka! Say goodbye to your Dark Valkyria!"

"What?! No!"

KONAMI spun his Duel Runner around so that it faced Konami, the autopilot quickly shifting into reverse. He threw his hand forward, glaring at the white-haired fairy who had acted so smug just moments ago.

"It's time for you to pay for what you did my Knight! Now, begone! _Black Burst!_ "

Dark Valkyria gasped as Rasca Alt roared a third time, shattering one of the swirling black orbs that hovered around it protectively. Instantly, a similar black orb materialized around her, imprisoning her within its pitch-black core as it began to shrink. She banged against inside of the sphere violently, but to no avail. Her fate was sealed, and in just a few seconds, her piercing scream echoed down the highway as the sphere crunched her to piece before erupting into a violent explosion.

"Ugh!" Konami hissed, his Duel Runner spiraling out of control as he swerved to escape the eruption. He narrowly managed to avoid running himself off the road, but quickly righted himself in time to utter a response. "I activate Supervise's effect! Since it was destroyed alongside my Dark Valkyria, I'm allowed to Special Summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard! Since Gemini Monsters are treated as Normal Monsters, that means I can bring back my Dark Valkyria in her sealed state!"

A golden light followed his words as the white-winged version of his monster reappeared in Defense Position, hovering around his Duel Runner protectively.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)_

"It's useless!" KONAMI retorted. "Once again, I activate Rasca Alt's effect! I detach its final Xyz Material, Frozen Fitzgerald, to destroy Dark Valkyria once again! Begone, _Black Burst!_ "

"What?! It's not once per Turn?!" Konami shrieked.

His Dark Valkyria felt the same, for in seconds, she had endured a second cruel demise, removing her from the field once more in an overly brutal fashion.

"Now it's the end!" KONAMI shouted. "Learn from my suffering! Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon, attack Konami Kodo directly!"

The Earthbound dragon roared, its purple lines gleaming with new energy. Rows upon rows of its emblazoned sigils began to burn feverishly, and deep within the monster's gaping jaws, glowing black sphere began to form. Seconds past, the sphere growing larger and larger until, finally, it seemed like it could grow no more. Konami stared at it, aghast. His eyes were wide in disbelief, the sudden ferocity and nature of the monster far too much to take in. But before his mind had time to comprehend what was happening-

 _"Malicious Burst Stream!"_

The dragon reared down its head and fired. The sphere vanished, replaced by a burning ray of destructive energy that would and could turn all it touched to ash. It headed directly for Konami, unimpeded, unopposed, ready to devour all of his Life Points in a single, devastating blow-!

"Save me, Burst Rebirth!" Konami screamed.

The Burst Stream hit its target, and a booming explosion rocked the highway. Smoke and debris flew upward, showering the landscape with debris. KONAMI's Duel Runner slowed, and he gazed into the smoky remains of his monster's attack, wondering if he had succeeded.

 _Did I get him?_ He thought, eyes narrowing as he stared into the dusty abyss.

Slowly, the smoke faded, and what he saw, almost surprised him.

It was Dark Valkyria. She hovered in front of Konami's Duel Runner protectively, arms crossed in a defensive stance. Behind her, Konami sat unscathed, his Burst Rebirth Trap Card still glowing behind him.

"Thanks," he told his monster. "You saved me."

Dark Valkyria spared him a single glance and nodded, before vanishing into golden dust, destroyed yet again.

"Burst Rebirth," KONAMI noted. "A card that revives a monster from your Graveyard in face-down Defense Position...at a price."

"Two thousand Life Points," Konami replied, watching as his Life Point counter fell to register the change. "Still, that is a far better cost...than taking a solid four thousand right to the face."

 **KONAMI(RED) - 2000 LP - THREE CARDS IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 1**

"Heh," KONAMI grinned. "You're lucky. If that face-down of yours had been anything else...you might not have escaped just now. However, that's three times I've destroyed your monster. Don't think you'll be able to rely on her to protect you again!"

"Yeah, you're right." Konami replied. "The way things are looking, I probably won't be able to summon her back again, but...don't act like you haven't lost anything either! After all, you've already wasted both of your monster's Xyz Materials, which means right now...it's got nothing going for it but those Attack Points, right?"

KONAMI chuckled. "If that's what you want to believe then go ahead, but...you should at least understand a little now, right?"

Konami was silent, but he knew what KONAMI was referring to. The man's identity had been in question up until that point - but the appearance of a Rasca Dawn Dragon, no matter how different, had confirmed it.

"Yeah, I understand." Konami breathed. "In some way, you are, at the very least, another version of me. However..." his own body sparked with the energy of the Overlay Network as he glared at his counterpart, "using Dark Synchro, and beyond that, Dark Xyz...tell me, 'KONAMI'...are you what I think you are? Have you, somehow, found a way to become a Dark Signer?!"

There was a brief moment of silence. Then, a chuckle. A chuckle that soon developed into a full-bodied laugh.

It was a dark thing, not the sort of laugh you'd share with your friends. No, it was a cold laugh. A cold, dark, disturbing laugh. The kind of laugh you'd expect to hear from a villain on a Saturday Morning Cartoon; particularly when they had the Hero right where they wanted them...trapped within the Jaws of Death.

"Yeah..." KONAMI replied slowly. "On that day...I died, and I was also...reborn."

Konami grimaced, "Then Rasca Dawn's changed appearance-!"

"Yes," KONAMI replied smugly, "a side-effect of my own transformation. I'm sure you've noticed it yourself. The way a Dark Signer's Deck evolves due to their Immortal's influence. The best example I'd have for you is your reporter friend, Carly. She used to use Fortune Fairies, didn't she? But the moment she became a Dark Signer, yes, her Deck evolved into the Fortune Ladies, a Deck that nearly dragged you into the abyss!"

"Then - your Dark Tuners, and the Dark Synchro Monsters you've been using-!"

"Yeah, they were all bestowed upon me by Wiraqocha Rasca...the Earthbound Immortal sealed within Dawn Dragon."

"I see," Konami murmured. "Then tell me, what are you really doing here? If you're a Dark Signer, then are you planning on plunging the world into chaos again? Will you drag Yusei and our friends into another horrible battle?!"

"I wonder..."

"Don't fuck around with me!" Konami shouted. "New Domino City's finally come together with Satellite, everything's finally going well, despite the incoming threat of the Vylon, if you've come here to drag everyone back into another senseless battle, then...then...! _I'll Never Forgive You!_ "

Then, without waiting for a response, he drew a shining card from the top of his Deck, signaling the start of his next Turn.

 _ **TURN FOUR - KONAMI(RED) - 2000 LP - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 2**_

"I summon Gemini Scorpion in Attack Position!" he shouted, throwing the drawn card upon his Duel Runner without even looking to see what it was.

His words were rewarded with the appearance of two, armor-clad warriors. The first was a lean young man with flowing white hair. He was clad in a thin blue armor that bore the sigil of a brown scorpion on its chest, and wielded a pair of glowing yellow blades shaped like a scorpion's stinger.

His comrade stood behind him, shrouded in shadow. Curly red hair flicked in the wind, and a single black blade, shaped like a stinger like his companion's own weapons, sat in the figure's left hand, waiting to be used.

 _Gemini Scorpion - LV4 - EARTH - Warrior - (1600/400)_

"Gemini Scorpion's effect activates!" Konami continued without interruption. "When I Normal Summon them, I'm allowed to Special Summon a Level Four or lower Gemini Monster from my hand!" He reached into said hand, grabbing the first card that caught his eye. "I Special Summon this one, Knight Day Grepher!"

A blue cape swirled into view as Konami placed his chosen card down. It flowed gallantly through the air, attached to a large and muscular figure clad in nothing more than tight black pants and a purple chestplate. A large, gleaming longsword sat comfortably in his right hand, and he pointed it toward the giant monstrosity that was Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon, as if challenging it to attack. It was clear just by looking at him, that this man...was confident!

 _Knight Day Grepher - LV4 - LIGHT - Warrior - (1700/1600)_

"Two Level Four Monsters...?" KONAMI asked, "Don't tell me...are you going for it too?"

"Yeah!" Konami shouted, his arm sparking with the red energy required to perform his Xyz Summon. "Using the Level Four Gemini Scorpion...and the Level Four Knight Day Grepher, I shall construct my very own Overlay Network!"

The two monsters vanished into golden pillars of light that shot high into the air, piercing the dark clouds overhead to reveal the clear moonlit sky. Seconds later, they crashed back down in front of Konami's Duel Runner, disappearing into a pool of space-time energy that swirled like a miniature galaxy.

" _Despairing black matter, come sealed unto here! Let your power be used to give rise to new days! Xyz Summon! Come forth, Rasca Dawn Dragon!"_

A blinding light erupted from the pool of energy as Konami finished his chant. Shooting high into the sky, it curved a crooked path through the night, before turning back to hover above Konami's Duel Runner. A pair of dark wings then spread outward, shattering the golden energy like a shell and revealing the monster within.

It was a dragon; a horned dragon, with a long spiky tail, deadly silver claws. and glowing red eyes. Byzantium scales ran down its entire body from head to toe, complimented by a lighter lighter shade that ran down the front of its neck and underbelly. Its wingpits maintained this color, returning to a darker shade only for the various metacarpal bones that were spread throughout the wing itself. Each bone erupted from the bottom of the wings with a hooked, spear-shaped tip, each of which released glowing particles that scattered to the wind as the dragon soared through the sky.

The dragon roared as it saw its larger and more powerful counterpart, and its claws flexed as if to prepare for the coming battle.

 _Rasca Dawn Dragon - Rank 4 - DARK - Dragon - (2500/2000)_

"Yeah, that's the way..." KONAMI murmured, staring at the behemoth that now hovered by his younger self's side. "Show me what you can do with that monster...Red Hat!"

"Gladly!" Konami shouted back, throwing his hand to the side. "I'm detaching my Knight Day Grepher Xyz Material to activate Rasca Dawn Dragon's effect! Once per Turn, by detaching one Xyz Material from him, I can target one monster on the field and destroy it! And that's not all, because when that monster is destroyed by this effect, its controller takes damage equal to its Attack Points!" He moved his hand to point toward Rasca Alt, who glared down at him fiercely. "Your Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon has 4000 Attack Points, that means that once this effect resolves, you're finished!" His eyes widened and he crunched his hand into a fist. "Go, Rasca Dawn Dragon! Blow Rasca Alt away with your _Destiny Flare_!"

Rasca Dawn roared as one of the two swirling orbs representing its Xyz Material vanished, then flapped its wings to hover across from Rasca Alt. Gaping its jaws, it began to gather the energy surging from within. A fearsome red light slowly began to emit from the spikes of its tail, slowly trailing up each spike along its back until finally, it reached the horns upon the dragon's head. The moment they did, Rasca Dawn roared once more, releasing a violent stream of energy that cut through the sky toward Rasca Alt.

"This is the end!" Konami shouted, "I win!"

The beam landed, and a thunderous crack filled the air as an explosion erupted from the point of impact. The highway once again rumbled violently, but both Duel Runners remained intact, racing through the streets even as tiny leftovers of Rasca Dawn's attack showered down around them. Konami panted softly, exhaustion showing on his face as he lowered his hand and watched Rasca Dawn return to his side.

"Did that do it...?" he asked, staring at the great mass of smoke hovering in the distance. "Did that end the Duel...?"

Ahead of him, KONAMI chuckled.

"Sorry," he told Konami, "but I'm afraid this time...your attack was a dud!"

Konami's eyes widened as he heard the words, and he glanced up toward the clearing smoke to see that KONAMI spoke the truth. Rasca Alt was indeed still there, completely unaffected by Rasca Dawn Dragon's destruction effect.

"What?! But why?!" he shouted, "I'm sure that effect should have worked!"

"Indeed, it should have worked," KONAMI agreed, "if it weren't for my Rasca Alt's third effect, that is!"

"It has another effect?!" Konami asked. "But its Xyz Material are already gone, it shouldn't have been able to use any, even if it did have one!"

KONAMI laughed, "Sorry, but this third effect is one that works regardless of whether or not my monster has Xyz Material!"

"What?!"

"It's called _Bound Barrier_ ," KONAMI explained. "Once per Turn, it prevents my Rasca Alt from being destroyed by an opponent's card effect!"

Konami grimaced, "Damn it! Just how many effects does that monster of yours have?!"

"It's truly amazing, isn't it? A true balance breaker worthy of devouring gods! I wonder, how long will you be able to last against this one monster?"

"Shut up!" Konami shouted. reaching into his hand for another card. "Your monster may be pretty powerful, but it's not perfect! I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn!"

KONAMI smiled, "That means it's my move, right? My move, Draw!"

 _ **TURN FIVE - KONAMI(BLUE) - 1200 LP - TWO CARDS IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 5**_

After adding the drawn card to his hand, he glanced up toward the two snarling dragons and smiled.

"Look, Konami. Our monsters, it seems like they're itching to fight," he said. "What do you say? We've already compared their effects...shall we go ahead and compare their capabilities in combat as well?"

Konami clucked his tongue in annoyance, but didn't say anything.

Perhaps he should have.

"Go, Rasca Alt!" KONAMI declared, swooping forward with a wild grin. "Attack Rasca Dawn Dragon!"

The Earthbound dragon snarled, spreading its wings to their full length before shooting through the sky toward Konami and his own dragon. Growling, the boy quickly threw his own hand forward in response.

"Go, Rasca Dawn!"

With an equally loud snarl, Rasca Dawn shot forward to meet Rasca Alt's challenge, colliding with the black behemoth between the two racing Duel Runners. Swirling about in a symphonic rampage, the two dragons ripped and tore at each other, seeking to obliterate their foe and wipe all proof of their existence from the world. They tangled like that for several long seconds, until finally, their claws clashed together, trapping them in a single long bid for domination.

The two Konamis watched from below, witnessing the incredible pressure of the dragons' bout firsthand.

"Wonderful," KONAMI said finally, "at first glance, it would appear our monsters are similar in strength. However..."

His words trailed off, letting actions speak for themselves as Rasca Alt suddenly began to weigh down on Dawn Dragon, displaying its superior might.

"You haven't forgotten, have you?" KONAMI asked, "My Rasca Alt's Attack Power has been increased to four thousand! Your Rasca Dawn only has twenty five hundred Attack Points, meaning its clear which of our dragons is better!"

And with those words, Rasca Alt snarled and hurled Rasca Dawn down toward the earth, and more specifically, Konami's Duel Runner. The dragon nearly collided with it before spreading its wings at the last moment, recovering from the toss just in time to look up and see Rasca Alt charging its deadly beam.

"Go, Rasca Alt! Destroy them with your _Malicious Burst Stream!_ " KONAMI roared.

"Not so fast, I've got a Trap Card!" Konami shouted, interrupting the move to flip his reverse card face-up. "Superficial Peace! When it's activated, it'll prevent any monsters from being destroyed by battle this Turn!"

"That may be so," KONAMI growled, lashing his arm out angrily, " _but you'll still take the damage! Now, take this power, and know DESPAIR!"_

The beam launched, and before Konami could so much as swerve out of the way, its violent stream crashed down upon him, and then...he saw it.

 _The future dyed black with despair._

 _"W-What is this?" Konami thought, eyes wide as he stared at an unseen foe, an unseen threat. "Where'd everything go, what happened to the Duel?!"_

 _"Finish him."_

 _A golden spear suddenly hurled toward, poised to pierce his very heart._

 _"No!"_

 _Something wet splattered across his face, and somehow, he understood. He understood that he should have died just then, but someone had shielded him - taken the brunt of the blow for themselves. But who-_

 _"Kokkun...are you...alright?"_

 _"Wisteria?!" Konami gasped in surprise, the girl's image appearing before him, pierced through by the bloodied spear. It had gone through her chest, no doubt causing her immense pain, and yet-!_

 _"Thank goodness..." she said with a smile, "I...was so worried..."_

 _"Wisteria!" he shouted, reaching toward her, but everything vanished, returning to a pitch-black void only for a new image to suddenly take its place._

 _It was New Domino. Or at least, it used to be. The city was burning, collapsing into fire and chaos around him. The cries of screaming children wailing for their parents filled the air, and in the distance, a large behemoth brimming with the power of the Crimson Dragon laid waste to everything in sight._

 _Something suddenly grabbed Konami by the scruff of his neck, and he turned to find Enzo there, staring at him with a dark and serious expression._

 _"What are you standing around for, we need to hurry up and get to the cradle-!" the boy began._

 _Konami made to respond but before he could even start to form a reply, the scenery had changed, and Enzo had vanished._

 _"Ugh!"_

 _No. Not vanished, but killed, Konami realized as he stared at the snarling form of Ancient Fairy Dragon. Its pronged tail flicked about violently, and there, hanging off its tip, was the cold, unfeeling corpse that had once been Enzo._

 _"This...can't be," Konami breathed, staggering backward as more images played out before him. He saw Akiza in a Duel, blown to pieces by her own ace monster. He saw Jack, proud as ever, sacrificing himself to ensure Carly escaped unscathed. Again and again, he watched as those close to him fell to the darkness, and each time, he could do nothing but watch. Watch...and despair._

 _"What...what is this?" he gasped, falling to his knees as even Yusei fell into oblivion, never to be seen again._

 _"This is the end," a woman's voice called out from behind him._

 _His gaze turned toward her, and his eyes widened as he caught glimpse of someone he did not know, an impossibly tall woman, slender and busty, wreathed in a pitch-black dress and feathered chest-piece. Her hair was long and black as well, save for a pair of blonde bangs that hung like horns from the front of her face. She stared down at him, almost pityingly, and smiled._

 _"Now, antigen. Come, return to me!"_

 _And then she reached out toward him, cruelly, frighteningly, but just when it seemed like she would take hold-_

He was back on the highway with Rasca Dawn, staring down his fearsome foe.

 **KONAMI(RED) - 500 LP - ONE CARD IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 3**

"Did you see it?" KONAMI asked him. looking at him with something between sad resignation and wholesome rage. "That is the future that awaits you. A future of death, and endless despair."

Konami was silent. He glanced down at his trembling hands, thinking of all he had seen. He had only been shown a few images, but the feelings they had invoked in him could not be denied. They were undoubtedly real, but he knew that he himself had never experienced such sadness. So, as far as he was concerned, that could only mean one thing.

"Those images I saw...were those...your memories?" he asked.

"Yeah," KONAMI replied. "They are the echoes of my past. Recollections of the many obstacles I faced in my fight to save this world. They are my past...they are your future."

"No, you're wrong!" Konami shouted, tightening his hands around his Duel Runner's controls to stave off the fear. "Even if those memories are of your past. Even if you say they're of my future... There's no way in hell that I'll let these things happen!"

"Hah, you think you can stop it?" KONAMI asked, "You, who can't destroy a single overpowered monster? Stop fooling yourself, Red Hat Konami! It was your weakness that brought this world about, which is why...before you have the chance to make any of the same mistakes...I'll exterminate you!"

"Don't fuck with me!" Konami shouted, slamming a fist on his Duel Runner's dashboard. "These are lives we're talking about! Everyone's lives! Akiza's, Leo's...even Yusei and Wisteria...! You couldn't protect anyone...and yet...and yet!" he slammed his fist on the dash a second time, glaring at his future self with a cold, dark rage. "You're the one who went and failed! And now...you think you have the right to sit there and judge me?!"

"Yeah!" KONAMI shot back, "What of it? Who else would judge you if not yourself?! Yusei? Atlas? In my time, such people no longer exist! They're all gone, all of them, because we were too weak when the time came to protect them! That's why...here and now...I shall destroy the weakness that is my former self!"

"And that's why I'm telling you," Konami retorted, "that there's no way I'm gonna sit here and let that happen!"

 _Fool,_ KONAMI thought. _If I wanted to, I could end this Duel right now. Unlike you, who has trailed behind due to your use of Supervise, I still have all five of my Speed Counters! And by sacrificing four of them right now, I could activate Speed World 2's effect to inflict eight hundred points of damage, more than you have left! However!_ His thoughts paused, and he stared fiercely into his younger self's eyes, _Despite my words, it is not my intention to kill you this day. Indeed, my true goal is..._

He trailed off, shaking his head before opening his mouth to speak.

"If you intend to stop me, then do it! Show me your resolve, Red Hat Konami! Push past your limits, break through the boundary, and defeat me!"

Konami's Duel Runner began to speed up, and he quickly reached down to draw a new card.

"I already told you..." he told his older self, "...that I will!"

He drew his card, and his Final Turn began.

 **TURN SIX - KONAMI(RED) - 500 LP - TWO CARDS IN HAND - SPEED COUNTER 4**

"I activate the Speed Spell - Foolish Burial!" Konami shouted, sliding his drawn card into his Duel Runner's Spell Slot. A hologram of the card quickly materialized by his Duel Runner, displaying its artwork to KONAMI. "By sacrificing two Speed Counters, I can send one monster from my Deck to the Graveyard! The card I choose to send...is my Evocator Chevalier!"

He revealed the burning warrior's card to his counterpart before sliding it into his Graveyard.

"Big deal," KONAMI told him, "Sending another monster to the Graveyard isn't going to help you at this point!"

"We'll see about that," Konami shot back, "because you forget, by sending monsters to the Graveyard, my Rasca Dawn Dragon gets its special effect! I detach its final Xyz Material, Knight Day Grepher, to activate my dragon's ability! Once per Turn, I can destroy one monster on the Field, and inflict damage to its controller equal to the destroyed monster's Attack Points! Once again, I target your Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon!"

"Then once again, you've made a mistake!" KONAMI shouted, even as Rasca Dawn charged its Zetsubou Flare. "Don't you remember, my Rasca Alt's special effect allows it to survive being destroyed by a card effect once per Turn!"

"Yeah, I remember!" Konami replied, "And that 'Once per Turn' is exactly what I'm counting on!"

"What?" KONAMI gasped.

"Go, Rasca Dawn Dragon!" Konami shouted, "Destroy Rasca Alt's _Bound Barrier_! _Destiny Flare!_ "

Rasca Dawn roared angrily as it obeyed its master's command, spreading its wings to maintain flight as the black ray of dark energy burst from its gaping jaws. The beam collided with Rasca Alt's barrier violently, cracking and shattering the sphere to ash with a resounding explosion that shook the streets.

"Tsk...!" KONAMI grunted, swerving his Duel Runner to the side to avoid some falling glass. "You may have destroyed its barrier, but Rasca Alt itself is still here!"

"Maybe, but not for much longer!" Konami replied. "I activate the effect of a monster from my hand! While I have exactly three Normal Monsters in my Graveyard, I can banish two of them to Special Summon the Knight of the Red Lotus in Attack Position!"

"Three Normal Monsters?" KONAMI asked, "That's right, your Gemini Monsters are treated as Normal while they're in the Graveyard, aren't they? So that would be your Dark Valkyria, Knight Day Grepher, and...wait, Gemini Scorpion is an Effect Monster! You can't Special Summon the Knight of the Red Lotus!"

Konami smirked, "Now who's the forgetful one? Have you already forgotten what Spell I just used?"

"Ah!" KONAMI's eyes widened as he did, in fact, remember. "Shit! Your Foolish Burial! So that's why you sent Evocator Chevalier to the Graveyard, it's also a Gemini Monster!"

"That's right, and now I'm banishing it and my Knight Day Grepher to bring forth the Knight of the Red Lotus!" Konami roared, slamming the card upon his Monster Zone.

A crimson light burst from his Duel Runner's Solid VIsion Projectors, and slowly, an armored warrior began to materialize.

He was tall and muscular, and was bound in a rigid black armor that covered his torso. His mouth and nose were covered by a face mask that left his eyes and forehead exposed, and his spiky red hair flourished in the wind, wild and free. A black broadsword sat dangerously in the palms of his hand, and a long black cape flourished through the wind, giving him the extra edge he needed whenever he felt unprepared for battle.

 _Knight of the Red Lotus - LV6 - FIRE - Warrior - (2100/1800)_

"Damn, now I see what your plan is!" KONAMI grunted. "It's effect-"

"Yeah, I'm using it now!" Konami confirmed. "Once per Turn, this guy lets me bring back a Normal Monster from my Graveyard, as long as that monster is Level Four or below! And since Gemini Monsters are treated as Normal while in my Graveyard, that means that they're acceptable targets for this effect as well! My Knight Day Grepher and Evocator Chevalier have both banished to bring the Red Lotus into full bloom, however...my Dark Valkyria is still here. Go, Red Lotus! Cut down the barrier between Life and Death, and bring Dark Valkyria back for her fourth and final encore!"

"Yes, my master!" the Knight shouted. He swung his black blade through the air, severing the invisible barrier of Life and Death and exposing the land of the dead that laid beyond. Reaching inside, he then grasped the hand of some hidden thing, and pulled it out to reveal Dark Valkyria once more.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)_

"You might have revived her for a fourth time, but don't forget that she still doesn't have her special effects!" KONAMI shouted.

"Actually," Konami corrected, "she does, because I haven't Normal Summoned yet this Turn! And that means...I can Gemini Summon, and restore her to her true form!"

The fairy screamed as the crimson aura of the Gemini engulfed her yet again, dying her armor and wings black and releasing the power hidden inside. The emergence of a Spell Counter then provided her with her deadly lance, which she tightly clenched and pointed towards KONAMI.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (2100/1050)_

"Dark Valkyria's special effect," Konami continued, "by removing the Spell Counter that increased her power, I can destroy one monster on the Field. Because of Rasca Dawn, your Rasca Alt's _Bound Barrier_ has already been destroyed! That means, _this time_ , there's no escape for you! Go, Dark Valkyria, destroy Rasca Alt!"

"Don't order me around," she told him, but she moved to obey regardless. Soaring through the sky upon her jet-black wings, she plunged forward and drove her stake deep into the chest of Rasca Alt. The dragon snarled and hissed in pain, but did not yet fall. Why would it, when the dark fairy's spear was so small, so insignificant, in comparison to its own grand splendor? Dark Valkyria seemed to agree, for it was with a frustrated snarl that she thrust more energy into her dark lance, increasing its length and size until finally, it pierced the black dragon, cut through its torso, and cleaved it in two.

"Yeah..." KONAMI murmured, an invisible smile growing on his face, "...that's the way to do it..."

But even as Rasca Alt fell with anguished cry, Konami surged ahead, going for the goal-!

"With Rasca Alt gone you're defenseless!" he shouted, throwing his hand forward for the final attack. "Rasca Dawn Dragon, attack directly and win me this Duel! Go all out, _MEGIDOLAON!_ "

Rasca Dawn Dragon nodded slowly, then spread to his full wingspan. Slowly, he glided upward, gathering the energy of the Earthbound within as he flew higher and higher into the clearing sky. Crimson lines began to surge across its body, dyeing its Byzantium scales red as a fearsome white light gathered in its jaws.

"Now..." Konami breathed, "FIRE!"

It did, and as the enormous wave of light surged toward the highway, KONAMI glanced toward his younger self...and smiled.

-YGO-

The attack had torn the Duel Runner to shreds. Burnt rubber and scattered metal littered the highway, a testament to the fact that a dark and dangerous Duel had just reached a fiery conclusion. It only took a few seconds for Konami to catch up. He sped into the crash site with no hesitation, glancing around for any signs of life.

Even amongst all the rubble, it didn't take long for him to find some. The blue jacket stuck out like a sore thumb amonst the flames, and Konami quickly rushed toward it, hoping that it was still attached to the individual who had been wearing it just a few moments ago.

It was.

"Oi," Konami breathed as he reached the man, kneeling down to check for a pulse. "Oi, oi, don't tell me you actually went and died on me, other me!"

"Heh," KONAMI coughed, "such is the price...for playing a Game of Shadows..."

Konami's eyes widened, "No way, you really went all in? Idiot, why would you do such a thing?"

"I...already told you..." KONAMI murmured. "...to destroy the weakness...and...deliver to you, undeniable proof..."

He was silent for a moment, then moved to continue.

"You did good, other me." He coughed, "...You showed me that you have what it takes...to go beyond. You've seen it now...the experiences I've endured...the battles that await you. Don't waste your time...take care of your comrades...don't lose...to her."

"Hey," Konami said, shaking him softly, "what are you saying? You can't go yet. You still have a lot of things you need to explain to me! Who was that woman? What's her connection to the Vylon?!"

"E'Rah...is coming..." KONAMI breathed weakly, "Don't...be like me...Red Hat. Don't...let her win...Everyone...I'm coming..."

"Oi, oi!" Konami said, shaking the man, but it was no use. The light in his eyes had dimmed, and already, his body was fading into the wind.

He was gone.

"No way..." Konami whispered, his hands tightened as the last of his future self dusted into the wind. "What...why did you..."

But he would receive no answers, for KONAMI KODO...spoke no more.

* * *

 **Chapter Two - END**

* * *

 **Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon - NEGATIVE RANK FIVE - DARK - Dragon - (2500/2000)**

 **Two Negative Level Five Monsters**

 **This card must be Xyz Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When this card is Xyz Summoned: you can discard up to three cards from your hand; increase this card's ATK by 500 for each. Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card: destroy one monster your opponent controls. Once per turn, you can target this card: Once during this turn, it cannot be destroyed by card effects.**

 **Rasca Dawn Dragon - Rank Four - DARK - Dragon - (2500/2000)**

 **Two Level Four Monsters**

 **This card must be Xyz Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card: destroy one monster on the field, and if you do; inflict damage to its controller equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster. This card cannot attack the turn a monster is destroyed by this effect.**


	3. Aftermath

_KONAMI was gone._

 _Vanished, obliterated, sent to the Shadow Realm. Nothing remained of him but a pile of ash, a ruined Duel Runner, and a single gleaming card._

 _Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon. A card that by all means shouldn't exist. It was an abnormality, an unexpected and unforeseen existence in an already irregular world; the symbol of a future that could and would occur should the coming threat prove too much for them to handle._

 _Konami stared at it unblinkingly, his mind racing a mile a minute._

 _Who was E'Rah? Was the vision he had seen real? Why had his future self confronted him in such a way? What on earth was he trying to prove? And, perhaps the most important thought of all...what was he supposed to do now? He might have won the duel, but what had he won from it? He had earned no clues, nothing save for a foreign name and the ace card of his deceased counterpart. What good were they, if he had no other leads?_

 _No, perhaps that line of thinking in and of itself was wrong. After all, there was one other piece of information he had gleamed from the duel._

 _'That's right,' Konami thought, reaching for the dusty card that laid before him. 'It exists... A power that goes beyond Xyz Summoning.'_

 _Dark Xyz. A summoning mechanic that used two negative Levels to call forth a dangerous monster. Rasca Altered Dawn Dragon was one such card, and as far as Konami knew, the only of its kind._

 _That made it extremely valuable. Not only in regards to Duel Monsters but to the safety of the world as well. If Konami had that card on his side, he could do anything. He could defeat the Vylon, he could overcome E'Rah, he could protect New Domino..._

 _He could save the world!_

 _So he reached for it._

 _He reached for salvation._

 _But as his fingers brushed against the card's brittle skin, a sudden, horrible thought struck him._

 _"Ah, my monsters don't have Negative Levels. Doesn't that mean...I can't use this card?"_

 _He stared into the card's artwork, and the mighty form of the black dragon within stared back. It was so close. So enticingly near that he could practically see himself summoning it, and yet, without a Dark Tuner, the monster within might as well be a million miles away._

 _So close._

 _So far._

 _"Damn it. Damn it...! Is this supposed to be some kind of joke...!?" Konami asked, "What was it all for then? Your battle! Your despair! Everything about you is gone except for this card, and you're telling me I don't even have the means to use it!? Don't mock me!" He brought his fist down hard upon Rasca Alt, only to wince as his fist felt the pain of striking the asphalt that lied beneath. A seething emotion began to overtake him, and he glared at the pile where his future self once stood. "I'm not like you. I won't let myself get blown away like dust in the wind! I'll defeat the Vylon and any other threat that comes my way! If that means surpassing your Dark Xyz, then so be it! Just you wait and see. I'll perform a miracle that goes beyond anything you've shown me! I'll do it, I'll save this world!"_

 _ **"Is that so?"**_

 _The reply caught Konami off-guard, and he glanced back toward the card only to find a great shadow staring back at him from the ground beneath. With a shout, he fell backward, landing on his rear as a fierce wind picked up around him._

 _Strand by strand, the hairs on the back of his neck began to rise, and then, a sharp and sudden pain pierced the fist he'd used to strike the card. Fire filled his veins, spreading down his fingers and past his wrist into the forearm where it remained._

 _"Wha-What is this?!" Konami gagged, grabbing the arm tight as if trying to squeeze out the pain. "Some kind of feedback...? From the card?!"_

 _Now that he thought about it, he should have been more cautious. His future self had warned him of the dangers of getting close; of what might happen should their distance be reduced. KONAMI had warned him, yet he still trampled around with his things like a fool._

 _"Damn it...! Damn it!" Konami screamed, his mind roaring with pain as black markings burned themselves into his arm. Inch by inch, the markings grew further up his arm. All the while, the beaten and battered card of Rasca Alt began to disappear, taking with it the dusted remains of KONAMI KODO. In that instant, Konami could tell that they were connected. He was him, and so was he._

 _Everything was connected._

 _Everything was permitted._

 _He knew what he had to do._

 _And then, in a flash of purple light, he was gone._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Three**_

* * *

 _ **Aftermath**_

* * *

"No!" Konami shouted, rearing upward in a cold sweat.

The streets were gone; the dusted corpse and smoking remains with them. In an instant, he found himself staring at the familiar walls and dressers of his apartment. He was safe. More than that, he was _home._

How?

It certainly couldn't have been Z-One. The mechanical wizard hadn't appeared before Konami since their disagreement over the Light of Destruction, and though the appearance of the beaten KONAMI was an event worth talking about, it just didn't seem likely that Z-One teleported him away without so much as a "by your leave."

No, something else must have been responsible. Something powerful. Something...purple?

Now that he thought about it, that flash of light...it had shown up during that intense bout of pain, and it was the last thing he remembered seeing before blacking out and waking up here. Certainly, the feeling was intense, but...it was familiar as well.

"And it happened right after touching Rasca Alter..." Konami whispered, "...could it be?"

The power that transported him here, that brought him to safety when he felt anything but...could that power have been his own? A power born not from this timeline, but from his contact with a version of himself from another?

"KONAMI...that other me...he used Dark Tuner monsters," Konami recalled, "the same kind of monsters used by the Dark Signers! He claimed to have been a Dark Signer himself thanks to Rasca Dawn Dragon, but...did contact with his version of the card really awaken those powers in me, as well?"

He remembered the pain, the intense pain brought about by meddling with his other's card so recklessly. And beyond that pain?

Grimacing, Konami glanced down to his exposed arms and turned his palms downward.

His eyes widened.

"So, it's true then," He grunted, glaring down at the right forearm. There, in full display, sat an accursed Mark of the Shadows in the shape of a condor. "I have become...a Dark Signer."

He sat there in silence, attempting to process.

What was he supposed to do with this new piece of information? Would he be forced to fight Yusei and the other Signers, like Carly and Misty had before?

No.

This time was different.

His future self had become one with the intent to destroy E'Rah, and Wiraqocha Rasca's influence was still caged within Konami's own Rasca Dawn Dragon.

So what then?

Was he to use this power to face the Vylon?

It was what KONAMI had done, wasn't it?

Forced to the brink, without a single ally left on his side in a future ravaged by war, he awakened to the Dark Signer power and obliterated his foe entirely. It was only after defeating E'Rah in the future that he returned here, in hopes of creating a timeline better than his own.

So...was this to be treated like a gift, then? A final message from his future self to urge him onward and the win the coming battle? More than that, was it a clue? KONAMI showed him that the Signers and the SOT weren't enough to defeat the Vylon. They needed something more. Something darker.

"The enemy of my enemy, is it?"

The Dark Signers.

Konami had witnessed it firsthand, the destruction of darkness through the power of darkness. If the light proved incapable, then...

"Should I throw my lot in with them?"

It was an option, and as far as Konami knew, they weren't exactly enemies any longer. Both Carly and Misty had returned to their former lives, and as for Kalin, well...

"Yusei's more likely to know about that guy than I am."

Of course, Devack was completely off the table. Even if he wanted to open a line of communication, he doubted Sector Security would appreciate the request.

And as for Divine, well, from what Konami knew the man was still MIA. He hadn't returned to life alongside the other Dark Signers, and even if he had, after all he'd done, could he really be trusted?

Of course not.

So that left four options.

Carly, Misty, Mina and Kalin.

Of those three, only one was someone close enough to deal with immediately. Unfortunately, their existence was also not one that he could deal with lightly.

Indeed, for the life of Carly Carmine was of infinite value to Jack Atlas. Any mention of her name in association to even the slightest bit of supernatural activity was bound to earn an earful from the man, especially when said supernatural activity had to do with the evil cult that once turned her into a world-destroying menace! Put simply, Konami couldn't speak to Carly about this without speaking to Jack first. In fact, since nearly all the Dark Signers had connections to their dragon-based counterparts, it made it all the more prudent that Konami speak with them first.

It was the right thing to do.

They were friends, after all.

"Doesn't mean it'll be easy though," Konami sighed. "I can already feel a headache coming on."

He reached for his phone, flipping the device open to reveal-

300 missed phone calls.

Each and every one belonging to the number of a certain pigtailed heiress.

 _"!"_

The phone began to ring for the three hundred and first time.

 _"!"_

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN_

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN_

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN_

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-_

He pressed the answer button and slowly raised the phone to his ear.

"Y-Yes...this is Konami-kun..."

 _"DEMISE, DIRECT ATTACK!"_

Konami winced.

"Oh. Hey Wis."

 _"'Hey Wis?' 'Hey Wis?' That's all you have to say to me? Do you have any idea how worried we were when we didn't hear back from you? Where the hell have you been?!"_

"I've...been busy."

 _"Busy, you say? Too busy to call your darling Wisteria back to let her know you're alright? Hmph, well it's nice to know you care."_

"Wisteria," Konami sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "did you need something?"

 _"You mean other than the assurance that you_ haven't _, in fact, been dragged off and kidnapped by some overbearing fan of yours? Yes, actually. I wanted to go over our strategy for the upcoming Tag Tournament Lazar unveiled last night. Obviously we should be able to make it through any preliminaries without trouble, but I'd like to discuss how we're planning on dealing with Duelists like Yusei and Jack, assuming we run into them in some of the earlier rounds."_

"Uh, actually, Wis..." Konami started.

 _"Akiza and the twins might prove troublesome as well,"_ Wisteria continued, _"though I'm confident that if we planned accordingly they shouldn't be able to counteract what we come up with."_

"Wisteria," Konami tried again.

 _"I've also taken the liberty of ordering a few new card packs for my Ritual Deck. It seems that the mechanic has grown quite a bit since our time in the other world, so I'm looking forward to expanding my current techniques to incorporate these newer strategies as well. Once I've mastered these new cards, I'm one-hundred percent sure that not even you will able to beat me-"_

"Wisteria!" Konami shouted finally, cutting through her words with his harsh tone.

 _"Hm? Oh, did you have some input you wanted to give, Kokkun?"_

"No. On the contrary, I've been trying to tell you about Lazar's little tournament..." he drawled. "...Sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to team up with you."

The sound of something falling echoed from the receiver, along with a sudden curse and frantic movement.

 _"W-What was that?! Whatever do you mean?! Why not?! Did something happen? Don't tell me...you've found another partner?!"_

Konami sighed wearily, "That's not what I- No, Wisteria. What I'm trying to say is that I won't be competing at all." He glanced down to the Condor Mark sitting on his arm, "Something's come up."

 _"...Tell me, Kokkun. Does this have something to do with that lookalike of yours we saw last night?"_

Konami's eyes narrowed, and he thought back to the various memories he'd seen of his future self's timeline. All of that destruction, all of that death...he could avoid it, if he moved carefully.

"...Yeah. I got a lead. A new deadline too. I don't think I can let myself waste any more time. We can't afford it."

There was silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Konami thought they'd gotten disconnected. Really, he should have known better.

 _"...Hey, Konami. Are you...doing alright?"_

"...I mean, maybe? On a scale of one to ten, I'm probably sitting at a solid four or so."

 _"That's...not good. Do you need me to come over?"_

"What?! No, no. It's just..." Konami took a breath, "...that person you and Enzo saw last night. The one who was dressed like me? They weren't just dressed like me, Wis. They _were_ me. And I don't mean like little Konami Edge back at the academy either. This one was me. _Me_ me. The kind of me that there's supposed to only be one of. He came from the future and well...it wasn't good."

 _"...How bad was it?"_

"Well, you weren't around anymore, for starters."

As soon as he said it, he realized he could've phrased that better.

 _"...Oh."_

"I-I saw it. All of it. The last of that me's battle against the Vylon. Against this E'Rah woman or whoever is supposed to be leading them. He did it, in the end. He got the job done, but..."

 _"...but the damage had already been done."_

"Yeah. So he came back here. Gave me a shot at fixing whatever went wrong. I figure you'd have gathered this by now but, things will probably be getting dangerous around here again. And, there's something else I should tell you. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to say it, but-well, that future me...he was a Dark Signer."

 _"What? But how's that possible? I thought-"_

"I know, but that's not all. When we dueled, some of him might've entangled with a bit of me."

 _"What? What do you mean, 'entangled?'"_

Konami grimaced, running a hand through his hair. "I dunno," he muttered. "I don't exactly get it myself, but...it seems like us being in close proximity to each caused a bit of...mixing. It's how I knew he was telling the truth about him being me from the future. Also...it's how I awakened to the same power he had."

 _"Kokkun?"_ he heard her voice ask, _"What are you trying to say?"_

He took a deep breath, "I'm saying that I have one, Wisteria. The same kind of mark the Dark Signers did."

 _"...So you're saying you've become one too, then."_

"...Yeah."

 _"Are you still, y'know?"_

"Am I still me?" Konami asked, smiling despite the situation. "Yeah, I think so. At the very least, I haven't heard any whispers urging me to destroy the Signers or the planet, if that's what you're asking. I think...I think my dragon's keeping this power in check, making sure that I'm the one who's using it, and not the other way around. That's how it seemed to work with the other guy, anyway."

 _"But there's no way to be sure."_

"I'm afraid not."

He heard her sigh. _"Well, I won't pretend that I'm not surprised, but you do have a habit of getting into trouble. What's a little more, right? Do you- You have a plan, right?"_

"The makings of one, yeah." Konami confirmed, "I'm gonna speak with Yusei and the Signers. As fellow protectors of this city, they have a right to know what's going on. Also, if I'm gonna go through with my plan to prepare for what's coming, I may need to get a few OKs before I get started."

 _"And just what is your plan?"_

Konami's eyes steeled. "The WRGP. I'm gonna win it."

- **5Ds** -

God, he'd forgotten how much of a fangirl she could be. Sure, it took a while for her to get past the whole "Surprise, I'm a Dark Signer!' thing (to be fair, he still wasn't completely over it himself), but once she'd taken a minute to collect her thoughts, all she could talk about was how excited she was to watch him throw down in a Turbo Duel.

Nevermind the fact that the fate of the world depended on it.

Nevermind the fact that he might not even make it that far depending on how his next meeting went!

Good lord, it was as if a switch had been flipped. But...perhaps that was just her own way of coping with the current reality. After all, it wasn't every day you found out that you had died in a potential future timeline. Honestly, she'd taken it a lot better than he'd expected. Certainly better than he had, at any rate.

 _Although it wasn't like she actually had to_ see _it happen_ , Konami thought to himself treacherously.

Regardless, it was nice having somebody in his corner. He knew he could count on her to relay the information to Enzo and the other members of the Signer Observation Team. Briefly, he wondered how they would take it. Would Enzo despair at his own helplessless? Would Mathew crouch down with Alice and cry a river of tears?

Nah.

No way.

They were made of tougher stuff than that.

Still, he didn't think their stuff was tough enough for this, which was why he stood alone in front of Yusei's garage, frozen in place as the sounds of roaring shouts and flying objects filled the air.

Well, this was it. The moment of truth.

He glanced warily at his Mark one last time, then stepped forward, into the chaos.

"Hey guys, I have something I need to talk to-whoa!" he ducked, a flying boot immediately filling the space his head once occupied.

"Damn it, Crow! Those boots were a gift!"

"If they're important, then you can at least put them where they belong! If you leave 'em lyin' around, I'll sell it with the rest of your junk!"

Another boot came flying through the air, and Konami stepped to the right to avoid it.

"I'd like to see you try! Just think about selling one of my prized possessions, I'll have you down and out before you could even say "Fight!" you hard-headed troublemaker!"

This time a car's steering wheel somehow found its way in Konami's path, so he swung to the left to escape its trajectory. "Uh, guys?"

"So _I'm_ the troublemaker now?" Crow asked. "Last time I chekced, I wasn't the one mooching off of everyone else since I didn't have a job, _Jack!_ "

Konami jumped to avoid a pair of speeding dumbbells.

"Why you little-! I'm not mooching! I'm just...in a transitional period, that's all!"

"Oh, is that what they call being unemployed these days? Admit it! You haven't even tried to find a job since you moved in with Yusei and I, have you?!"

"Hello...?" Konami tried again, quickly catching a set of bone china cups before they shatter against the ground. "...Guys?"

"Don't bother," another voice called from his left. Konami turned to face it, immediately spotting the long red bangs of hair that belonged to New Domino's famed Black Rose. "There's no stopping the two of them when they get like this. You're better off just staying out of the way until they calm down."

"Akiza," Konami greeted, taking her advice and leaving the chaos to approach her. "You're here too, huh? No academy today?"

"On break, actually. The principal talked the Board into giving us the week off in light of Lazar's latest announcement. Seems to think we could use the free time to find partners for the event."

"The Tag Tournament? So it's got your school all fired up too, is that it? Heh, and I bet that's why you're here now, isn't it?" Konami smirked and leaned forward, "You're waiting around for Yusei so you can charm him into being your tag partner, huh?"

Akiza's eyes widened, and she took a quick step backward, "W-What?! How did you-?!"

"It was written all over your face," Konami revealed smugly. "Not that I needed to see it to figure out that much. Anyone who knows Akiza Izinski would know that she's head-over-heels in love with Yusei Fudo."

"!?" Akiza staggered, only for a sudden scowl to cross her face. "Why you-I'm not in love with anybody! Least of all that motorhead who can't even be bothered to show up on time!"

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Konami laughed, "you might actually believe it someday."

"Why you little-! Forget it, why are you here then?" Akiza asked, eager to change the subject. "I take it you didn't just come here to tease me?"

"No," Konami muttered, frowning as he recalled the reason for his visit. "I was hoping to speak with Jack and Yusei. Actually, it's a good thing you're here. This conversation involves you as well."

"Hm?" Akiza intoned, a single raised brow revealing her piqued interest. "Involves me? How?"

"I'll explain it once everyone's here. It's all pretty complicated, and I'd rather not have to repeat myself."

"Well in that case," Akiza started, stepping out of her safe corner and trudging into the ongoing chaos between the two boys, "Jack! Crow! Knock if off already! Is this really how the two of you act in front of guests?!"

 _"What?! Akiza?"_

 _"Hey, wait-!"_

A golden light enveloped the room, and before Konami could so much as speak, a long green tentacle of a summoned Gigaplant lashed out and bound the two men tight.

"Really, you two!" Akiza barked, "Are you grown men or not? Throwing things around like a couple of babies, even the twins show more self-restraint, and they're children! What if one of those objects had hit Konami or I? And what would Yusei think, seeing you make a mess of his garage like this?!"

"Now, hang on Akiza," Jack said. "Let's not be too hasty here..."

"...r-right! There's no need to get violent," Crow agreed. "We were just doing some...male bonding! Y'know, a bit of horseplay to pass the time!"

"If you're going to play like horses..." Akiza growled, the tentacle lifting the two of them higher off the ground, much to their dismay, "...then you should do it in the barn!"

The tentacle hurled the two men across the room, throwing them into the wall and a pile of spare tires respectively. Jack and Crow grunted upon collision. They slid down to the floor limply, leaving Akiza to pant victoriously as she glared at their downed bodies.

 _'Someone's gotten more expressive with the use of her power,'_ Konami thought, beads of sweat rolling down the back of his neck as he recalled his own encounters with Akiza's psychic abilities.

And it seemed he wasn't the only one who noticed.

"What's going on here?" a voice asked from the garage door, reverberating through the room like a gong. Everyone turned to see who had spoken. Akiza flinched.

"Y-Yusei!"

"Thank goodness," Jack breathed.

"We're saved..." concurred Crow.

Were they though?

The garage looked a mess. Heaps of thrown objects and broken items lay scattered across the floor, and in the middle of it all stood a guilty-looking Akiza, and the ever-deadly tentacle of the all-powerful Gigaplant.

A mounted row of assembly tools chose that moment to clatter to the floor.

Yusei glanced over it all. The chaos, the mess, the bruised figures of Jack and Crow...he took everything in with his own two eyes.

Then he strolled past it all, walking his Duel Runner - the aptly named Yusei Go - to its untouched resting place without a word.

"See?" Crow told Akiza, just itching to have the last word. "He's used to this stuff!"

Shaking his head as Crow's words brought Akiza into another tirade, Konami left the three troublemakers and joined Yusei beside his Duel Runner. For a moment, Yusei said nothing. Konami thought that perhaps he simply hadn't been noticed, or that Yusei was just more focused on the upkeep and management of his beloved Duel Runner. Just as he was about to open his mouth to get the man's attention, Yusei spoke first, catching him off-guard.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here so soon. Did you decide to take up my offer to have at look at your ride?"

Konami blinked in surprise. He didn't recall Yusei offering such a thing during their last meeting, although given everything that had happened since then, it was entirely possible that he'd simply forgotten.

"Not this time," he told Yusei. "I needed to speak with you. The other three in there too, once their done messing around, anyway."

Yusei glanced away from his Runner to stare at the three individuals arguing across the room. Though it was a subtle, Konami spotted the unmistakable smile on his face.

"It's been a long time since they've been able to cut loose like that," Yusei told him. "It's refreshing, though I might have to have words with them if their roughhousing ever damages the Yusei Go."

"Naturally," Konami agreed.

"So," Yusei said finally, sliding a loose sheet of plating back into place before making to stand, "what was it you wanted to talk about?"

"The future," Konami revealed, sliding back his right sleeve to reveal the Condor Mark etched into his skin, "and how we're going to save it."

And so, as Jack, Akiza, and Crow gathered around, Konami told them. He told them of his encounter with his future self, of the vision he'd seen: a wartorn future devoid of all hope. He informed them of the epic battle that had followed. Most importantly, he spoke of the coming threat. A giantess wreathed in garbs of black, guiding hordes of Vylons to earth so she could drive mankind to despair.

E'Rah was coming, and unless something changed, she would win the war.

"...my future self used this power to defeat her," Konami explained, holding his exposed Mark before the gathered Signers. "I figure that if I get used to it now, then I can use it to defeat her the moment she appears! We don't have to experience the same world the other me did. We can win!"

"But in order to do so, you're saying we'll have to rely on the power of the Dark Signers?" Akiza asked warily. "Konami, stop and think about this. You've seen firsthand what that power does to people. It feeds on their insecurities and negative emotions; turns them into the worst version of themselves! You can't honestly expect us to believe that we can trust in such a power!"

"...I know how it sounds," Konami agreed. "But this power...I've seen my future self use it without falling to darkness! Maybe it's because of my unique relationship with one of the sealed Immortals, but I'm certain that I can use utilize this power without becoming a threat to you guys. Besides, just think about it. I've been standing here with you all explaining all this time, and not once have any of our Marks reacted to another! If that's not proof that something's different this time around, then I don't what is!"

"So, what then?" inquired Jack. "You're just going to waltz up to this E'Rah person's fortress and force her into a Duel?"

"No," Konami replied. "According to my future self, E'Rah appeared at the end of the WRGP and challenged the winning team to a Duel. In the original timeline, that team was Team 5D's...your team, Yusei."

"Mine?" Yusei asked.

"I'm not sure on all the details, but I guess you won. Congratulations. However, your celebrations were shortlived. After E'Rah challenged you all, her team bested you in Shadow Duels. She took the Signer Dragons away from you, and twisted them into dark versions of themselves. The protectors of humanity became beasts of madness, and helped E'Rah call forth the Ultimate God, which then destroyed New Domino."

"You mean we lost to her?!" Crow asked.

"We all did," Konami confirmed. "In the end, my future self was the only one left. By the time he finally awakened the Dark Signer power and destroyed E'Rah...there was nothing left."

"But wait," Akiza interrupted, "According to Misty, one simply couldn't 'awaken' to the Mark of the Shadows! It's a curse that can only be given to those who have experienced death, so, how did you and your future self-?"

"-Yes, that's exactly right." Konami confirmed, "It seems that in the original timeline, I too was a victim of E'Rah. But rest assured, this time around I haven't gone and died on you or anything. I'm not sure how, but it seems like when I interacted with my future self a little bit of us rubbed on the other. Some kind of...feedback from living his experiences must have kickstarted my own awakening."

"I see..." said Yusei. "So, tell me this, then. What do you plan on doing with this information? I'm sure you didn't come here just go give us a head's up. You have some plan running through that head of yours, don't you?"

Konami nodded.

"Yeah," he said, "I'm going to build my own team. A team who have experience using the same power I have. I'll do that...and together we'll win the WRGP, and face E'Rah ourselves."

"?!" "!?" "!" "?!"

The four shocked and surprised looks he got were just what Konami had expected.

"What do you mean by that?!" Jack shouted, "Explain!"

"I thought it was pretty obvious," Konami sighed. "The former Dark Signers...the ones who have had this power longer than I have. I'll gather enough of them to make a team for the WRGP...and ensure they're strong enough to not lose to E'Rah or anyone else!"

"Are you mad?! Absolutely not!" Jack roared.

This was it. The moment Konami had been waiting for. As expected, Jack had vehemently refused Konami's declaration the moment he realized Carly and Mina might get involved. It was only natural. The two women already experienced hell once, and now it looked as though Konami might go and drag them back kicking and screaming. However...

"I'm not taking No for an answer," Konami replied. "There's no other option here. It's already been proven that the power of the Signers alone isn't enough to save the day this time. We need your counterpart's help on this."

Jack grimaced, "Even if I did believe this crazy story of yours, have you already forgotten just what happened the last time there were Dark Signers running around...? I refuse to let you involve them in this nonsense any further!"

"And if I refuse your refusal...?"

Jack's grimace only grew deeper at Konami's words.

"Then we'll have to settle this the old-fashioned way," he replied with a glare. "A duel!"

Konami smiled.

"Yeah. That's right," he said, turning around and leading the others outside. "A duel is the only way we're going to come to an agreement at this point. So let's do it." He spun around, turning to face Jack in the parking lot. "Right here, right now. I'll beat you...and prove that I can use the power of the Dark Signers efficiently! Let's go Jack, _it's Time to Duel_!"

* * *

 _ **Chapter Three - END**_

* * *

 _"I won't let you drag them into this."_

 _Jack suddenly speaks up, opposing Konami's plan. To determine what path lies ahead, a fierce and passionate duel takes place._

 _"For the sake of that woman, I will...!"_

 ** _Next time on Tag Force 2: Roar of the Red Dragon_**

 _"Synchro Summon! My very soul, Red Dragon Archfiend!"_


	4. Roar of the Red Dragon

_They remembered nothing about the time they spent as Dark Signers._

 _When he first heard of that fact, Jack had to admit, he'd been stunned._

 _Not only were the memories of those involved in the fighting gone, but those of the entire city as well? If he hadn't seen the power the Crimson Dragon was capable of first-hand, Jack might've thought the world had gone mad. Still, the fact that they were standing before him now, acting as if nothing had changed was irrefutable proof._

 _"Mister Atlas, I know I'm not officially your secretary anymore, but if you ever need anything please don't hesitate to call me!"_

 _"Hey Jack, when you have some time, what do you say we try to catch a movie or something? I hear they're still playing 'Atlas Rising' in some of the theatres downtown-ah, wait up, Jack!"_

 _The words of Mikage and Carly still ran through his head, always fond of him, always so endearing._

 _He hated it._

 _He didn't deserve their kindness._

 _He was certain he wouldn't have it, had they remembered._

 _How could he, when he had failed them both so terribly?_

 _Carly, left to fend for herself when he'd abandoned her at the drop of a hat..._

 _Mikage, forced into a battle she had no chance of winning after being killed in the depths of the Arcadia Movement's Headquarters..._

 _He'd failed both of them, and what had come of it?_

 _More battles, more senseless violence...!_

 _Sure, the good guys had come out on top in the end, but what did it matter? The memories of that nightmare had been destroyed, and with it, any meaningful connection he might have had with them._

 _"...but just because someone doesn't remember something doesn't mean it didn't happen," Yusei had told him that day, "It's a new beginning, Jack. Soon New Domino and Satellite will become one."_

 _A New Beginning._

 _Perhaps._

 _If he thought of the past few months' events as a crucible instead of a nightmare, then it was true. Everyone was alive and the destruction that had once ruined the city was nowhere to be seen..._

 _So why couldn't he just take the win?_

 _"...I'm still not strong enough," Jack realized._

 _It came as quite the realization._

 _Jack Atlas, the King of New Domino, was not strong enough?_

 _Once upon a time, he'd have laughed at such a thought. Now he knew better. The Signer War and the Transcender Tournament; both had opened his eyes to the truth._

 _Jack Atlas was no King..._

 _...but he would not let that stop him._

 _"You're right," he had told Yusei back then, "It is a new beginning. Not only for this city, but for me as well. I'll become stronger as a person and a Duelist, so that next time, I won't be incapable when someone needs me. For my own sake, and theirs as well, I'll take back my title as the Turbo King, just you wait and see!"_

 _And in Konami's absence, he_ had _grown stronger. His deck was tougher than ever before, and his pride and ego was never more self-assured!_

 _And yet..._

 _Here and now, barely a day after reentering their lives, Konami Kodo sought to throw another curveball at them?_

 _Fine._

 _He was a Dark Signer, so what? Clearly he showed that he had the mind and restraint to keep himself in check, but what's this all of a sudden? He wanted to drag Carly and Mikage back into this dangerous business as well?!_

 _"Absolutely not!" Jack snarled._

 _"I figured you'd say that," the homewrecker declared, holding up his deck in a significantly smug manner. "Unfortunately, I don't think I can afford to take 'No' for an answer here."_

 _"Then I suppose we'll just have to settle this the old-fashioned way," Jack decided, revealing his own deck to match the fool's challenge._

 _"That's right," the Red Hat said, "a duel's the only way to settle this argument of ours. Whether I'll be able to approach Carly and the other Dark Signers about this...all of it will depend on the outcome of this battle."_

 _"Both of you, just wait a minute!" he heard Akiza shout, "Don't you think there's a better way to settle this than summoning monsters to try and kill each other?"_

 _"Shut up! This has nothing to do with you!" Jack shouted. "I'm putting my pride on the line here. Any outcome other than a duel simply won't be acceptable!"_

 _"Nothing to do with me?" Akiza shot back angrily, "And just what is_ that _supposed to mean?"_

 _"Akiza, let them fight," Yusei said, placing a hand on her shoulder to prevent her from doing something reckless. "At this point, it's better for them to get everything off their chests in a duel."_

 _"Yusei?" Akiza inquired, "But..."_

 _"It's all right," Konami told her. "I came here fully expecting that events might unfold this way. That's why I made sure to prepare myself accordingly. So, Jack, how are we going to do this? Shall we take each other on in a Turbo Duel...or shall we settle things out in the parking lot like they did in the old days?"_

 _"Hmph, no need to handicap yourself on my behalf!" Jack stated, "You might have gotten better with a Duel Runner, but you're still no Yusei. We'll settle things right here on the ground, that way there will be no excuses for you to use once I've beaten you!"_

 _"Then it's settled," Konami said, sliding his deck into his Duel Disk. "Let's get out there and do this! Win or lose, this disagreement of ours ends here!"_

 _'That's right, but I won't be the one losing...!' Jack thought, following Konami outside into the parking lot. 'I'll defeat you here and now, and keep you from dragging either of those women into horrific battles ever again!'_

 _"I hope you're ready, Red Hat..." Jack growled, "because it's Time to-"_

 _ **"DUEL!"**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Four**_

* * *

 _ **Roar of the Red Dragon!**_

* * *

The two proud Duelists glared at each other from across the parking lot. Beside them, Yusei, Akiza, and Crow watched quietly from the garage, wondering which of them would make the first move. In that moment, a single leaf flew into view. It danced playfully on the warm breeze, sweeping around both Konami and Jack as if taunting them.

The men tensed as the breeze died, and though their eyes never left each other, it was as if they could sense the presence of the falling leaf.

It leapt one time. Two. Time seemed to slow as it lost the last of its momentum. It fell down, down, down toward the concrete, and just as its tip began to brush against the pavement...

...He moved.

With a flourish of his long white jacket, Jack reached for his deck, ready to take the first move.

"My-" He began, only for a raging shout to cut off his words.

 _"You're too slow! I draw!"_ he heard his opponent roar, and by the time his eyes had finished widening in shock, it was too late. The Red Hat had already drawn a card from his own deck, effectively stealing Jack's prize.

 **TURN ONE - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**

Jack clenched his free hand, glaring at Konami proper. How dare that boy steal the first move without so much as a "by your leave"? Had he no honor, no pride as a Duelist?! No, perhaps it was that pride that forced him to act so ruthlessly. He was in it to win it, just like Jack was. There was no shame in that.

However...!

"Those backhanded methods won't get you very far!" Jack shouted across the parking lot.

"Got me past you, didn't they?" Konami asked. "Anyway, I'll summon this monster face-down and end my turn."

A single card shimmered into existence following Konami's words, a perfect holographic replica of the same card currently hiding upon his Duel Disk. It sat face-down, revealing nothing to Jack or the onlookers, but knowing that it was all Konami had chosen to summon on his turn left the former King somewhat dissatisfied.

"You mean to tell me that you stole my turn from me for that?" he couldn't help but ask.

"I gotta agree," Crow said from the sidelines. "With how ruthlessly Konami cut into that deck of his, I was kinda expecting a lot more."

Akiza sighed, "Well, it is only the start of the duel. It's only natural to take things slow. Haven't you ever tried to feel out an opponent and try to figure out what makes them tick? They've only just begun, no need to kick things into high gear right off the bat."

"That's where you and I disagree," Jack told her, never turning his gaze from Konami. "I like to keep things as fired up as possible, and I'll prove it with this!" Bending his knees and lifting his arms, he reached into his deck and grabbed the top card. "Draw!"

 **TURN TWO - JACK - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**

He glanced at the drawn card and smiled.

"Just the card I was looking for," he told Konami eagerly. "You might be happy to keep things lukewarm while you get into the mood, but I like to start duels off in high-gear and stay there! And I'm certain this card of mine feels the same. Please, give a warm welcome to my Vice Dragon, who I'm Special Summoning in Attack Mode!"

He placed the Dragon-type monster card face-up on his Duel Disk, prompting a golden light to fill the space before him as it materialized in the real world. Bulky purple flesh formed limb by limb until the muscular, hulking shape of a dragon had emerged from the void. A pair of dark green wings then began to sprout from the beast's back, stretching outward to their full wingspan as a pair of gleaming yellow eyes gazed out from the abyss. With a strained roar, the monster birthed completely, revealing its full shape to the onlookers as Jack stared on, waiting for a response.

"Vice Dragon," Konami noted, "a card that can Special Summon itself when you control no monster while your opponent does. I have that card myself, which is why I know that while it's not a bad way to start off a turn, it can be a risky play. After all, by Special Summoning it this way, you also reduce its firepower and defensive capabilites by half."

 _Vice Dragon - LV5 - DARK - Dragon - (1000/1200)_

"Hmph, so you already expected this much, did you?" Jack asked. "You're right, my Vice Dragon might not have a lot of firepower right now, but fortunately for me, it doesn't need it, because I'm backing him up with this! My Dark Resonator!"

Without another word, Jack placed the named card on his Duel Disk, summoning a second monster to the field. Unlike before, however, the new monster emerged not from a gentle golden light, but from a sickly purple fluid instead. It filled the space beside Vice Dragon, giving way to a dark portal from which a horned helmet with red frills appeared. It was accompanied by a grinning face whose form was hidden in darkness, which in turn was followed by a tattered blue robe with a grand design on its back. A pair of tiny gray hands poked out from the robes' ruined sleeves, and they flailed about in the air wildly, before stretching outward to summon the resonator's prized tools: a long golden tuning fork with which it performed its most important duty...and a tiny rod it used to strike its foes. With both tools in hand, the fiend turned to face Jack's opponent proudly, and waited for its master to make his next move.

 _Dark Resonator - LV3 - DARK - Fiend - (1300/300)_

"Feh," Konami clucked his tongue. "A Tuner monster already? You really aren't playing around, huh Jack? What's the matter, Entertainment Dueling not working out for you anymore?"

"I'll have you know that my Entertainment Dueling is alive and well!" Jack replied proudly, "I've simply realized that the best way to entertain someone is to crush them as quickly and as mercilessly as possible with all of my power! More so if it means destroying any silly fantasies they might have about using a power as corrosive as that of the Dark Signers' for the greater good!"

"Is that so?" Konami inquired, "Well then, bring it! I've never been one to turn down a good time, so come at me with everything you've got! I'll throw it right back at you...and win this Duel!"

"We'll see about that!" Jack growled. He threw his hand forward, gesturing to his two monsters. "I'm tuning my Level Five Vice Dragon with my Level Three Dark Resonator!"

Dark Resonator leapt into the sky at Jack's words, transforming into three glowing green circles through which Vice Dragon flew. As it hovered within the swirling sigils, the dragon's form began to dematerialize, shattering into five shining stars of light that represented its Level. Watching on as his monsters' forms changed, Jack raised his hand to the sky and began to chant the words that would bring forth his ace monster.

" _The Ruler's heartbeats will now file through here! Bear witness to its creation-shaking power! Synchro Summon! My very soul, Red Dragon Archfiend!"_

With a screeching roar, light burst forth from the combined stars and sigils. It descended upon the field in a flash, blinding all those present with its devastating power, only to be gone in a flash, cleaved through by a great black claw; one that belonged to Jack's famed monster, the Red Dragon Archfiend!

After ripping through the light that bound it to the world beyond, it growled dangerously at Konami, glaring at Jack's foe with its tiny yellow eyes. Though they alone were not enough to frighten him, its muscular shape and horned protrusions were enough to make anyone pause. Bat-like red wings extended from its backside, and hard crimson scales lined its stomach and appendages, giving off the impression of a demonic beast - an image that was completed by the three horns that sprouted from the rear of its head. They curved outward and downward like a devil's horns, reminding all who faced it that it was a being not to be trifled with.

 _Red Dragon Archfiend - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3000/2000)_

"Well, that's one way to start your turn," Akiza muttered as she watched from the garage.

"Yeah," Yusei agreed. "With this, it certainly seems like Jack's gotten the upper hand. The question is whether or not Konami's going to let it stay that way."

"You make it sound like he has a choice," Crow retorted. "I mean, now that Jack's gotten his Red Dragon Archfiend on the field, there's no way he's going to sit back and let Konami play catch-up now!"

"You're right," Jack confirmed for them, "I won't! Go, Red Dragon Archfiend! Attack Konami's face-down monster with your _Absolute Powerforce_!"

Red Dragon Archfiend reared back its right claw upon hearing Jack's command, surrounding its fist with a burning red sphere. After gathering all of its power, it lunged forward, crossing the space between Duelists and throwing its full weight upon Konami's face-down monster card.

A great explosion rocked the field, showering Jack and Konami with false debris, but the two men stood through it all, eager to watch the result of the battle play out.

Slowly, the dust cleared, revealing the outcome of their first tremendous battle: Red Dragon Archfiend glowered angrily, fist outstretched on the unmoving form of Konami's face-down card.

"What?" Jack asked, "Your card wasn't destroyed? Why?!"

"Heh, surprised?" Konami asked. "You really shouldn't be. After all, that face-down card is...Marshmallon!"

Konami's card flipped upward to reveal itself at that moment, knocking back Red Dragon Archfiend's fist as it did. A golden light followed the sudden motion, and a small pink blob emerged from within. It flailed around on the ground helplessly for a moment, but then bounced upright to face Jack and Red Dragon Archfiend with a timid but defiant expression.

 _Marshmallon - LV3 - LIGHT - Fairy - (300/500)_

"You mean to tell me that the monster my Red Dragon Archfiend attacked was Marshmallon?!" Jack asked, stunned.

"That's right," Konami replied eagerly, "and in case you've forgotten, he has a few special abilities! Not only is he unable to be destroyed by battle, but when he gets attacked while face-down on the field, then the attacking player loses a thousand Life Points!"

"Gh..!" Jack scowled, grimacing as his Life Points dropped to reflect the change.

 **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
JACK - 3000 LP**

"I see!" Akiza realized with a smile, "Konami must have known that Jack would come at him full force, so he played a card that would punish Jack for doing so!"

"It might have been a good move, but it doesn't mean he's out of the woods just yet," Yusei told her.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Akiza asked.

Crow smiled, "He means that Konami's not the only one with a few tricks up his sleeve. That Marshmallon of his might have a fancy effect or two, but thanks to all of his duels with Yusei, Jack's no stranger to dealing with defensive plays."

"That's right," Jack shouted to Konami, "Your monster might have survived my dragon's attack, but now we'll see if it can weather the storm of his effect as well!"

"...ugh," Konami grimaced.

"Of course, I'd nearly forgotten," Akiza gasped, "Red Dragon Archfiend's effect!"

"Yeah, it's an ability specifically geared for dealing with situations like this," Yusei reminded her. "When Red Dragon Archfiend attacks a monster that was in Defense Position, then after damage has been calculated, it destroys all Defense Position monsters its opponent controls. Jack calls it..."

" _Fiend Meteor!_ "

A sudden pain burst from Marshmallon's form as Jack spoke, covering its body in electric shocks. It stumbled backward weakly, attempting to endure, but it was too late. With a single frail cry, Marshmallon exploded into shards of light, leaving Jack's Red Dragon Archfiend as the only monster on the field.

"Damn it," Konami cursed, "I'd forgotten about that."

"Then you'd best forget about this plan of yours too, because there's more where that came from!" Jack told him. "Fortunately for you, it will have to wait until my next turn comes around, I'll throw one card face down and end my turn."

"And what a good turn it was," Konami said, eyes narrowing, "but not good enough. My move, draw!"

 **TURN THREE - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**

He glanced at his drawn card and smiled.

"What was it you had said, Jack?" he asked, "That 'there was more where that came from' on your next turn? Well, I say that it's bold of you to assume you'll _get_ a next turn! I summon Gemini Scorpion in Attack Mode!"

A flash of lightning accompanied the arrival of the two scorpion-based swordsmen, and together, they drew their blades to face the hulking dragon before them.

 _Gemini Scorpion - LV4 - EARTH - Warrior - (1600/400)_

"Good job," Jack told him, "you summoned a monster, but in case you haven't noticed, that duo of yours only has sixteen hundred Attack Points! That's nowhere near enough to defeat my Red Dragon Archfiend!"

"You're right, it's not." Konami agreed, "But I didn't summon Gemini Scorpion so that they could attack you; I summoned them so that I could give myself a little more backup!"

"Oh really? How's that?"

"Gemini Scorpion's effect, that's how!" Konami explained. "When they're summoned to the field, I can Special Summon a Level Four or lower Gemini Monster from my hand. And I have just the one in mind! Come on out, Goggle Golem!" He placed the named card upon his Duel Disk beside Gemini Scorpion, then smiled as a stony roar filled the air.

Accompanied by the ever present golden light of summoning, a reckless boulder of a man emerged from the world beyond. He was dressed in nothing save for a pair of sleek black pants, which themselves were wrapped in all manner of chains and belts. A pair of spiked gloves sat comfortably on the golem's hands, each ready to be used to smash in the face of whatever monster dared approach. Still, despite the monster's edgy and dangerous appearance, it was the pair of red goggles that sat around its neck that caught most people's attention, not because of any fancy design located on its form, but rather the question of why a golem made of stone would need such a thing in the first place. The answer? It made for a perfect distraction.

 _Goggle Golem - LV4 - EARTH - Rock - (1500/500)_

"Two monsters with the same Level?" Jack glowered, "Don't tell me you're planning to-"

"-That's exactly what I'm planning!" Konami cut him off, a determined look of his own crossing his face. "You summoned your ace, so it's only fair I summoned mine! It's time for a little Xyz Summoning!"

"Xyz Summoning?" Crow asked, "That's that summoning method that Odin guy did back at the tournament right? The one that uses two or more monsters with the same Level?"

"That's right," Yusei told him. "You've never seen it for yourself, but Konami can use that power too."

"He first accessed this power in a duel against Roman," Akiza added. "Using something called the Overlay Network, he combines the power of multiple monsters to call forth another that resides in another dimension located across the cosmos."

"...and now that monster is about to come here once again," Yusei noted.

The three of them stared on as the duel continued.

"Let's go!" Konami roared, throwing his free hand to the sky. "With my Level Four Gemini Scorpion and Level Four Goggle Golem, I'll build the Overlay Network!"

The two monsters disappeared, transforming into streaks of lightning that collided in midair, opening a portal to the netherworld. A terrible screech echoed from within, and Konami smiled upon hearing it, recognizing the noise for what it was.

 _"Despairing black matter, come sealed unto here! Let loose the flames of hate, and give rise to a new day! Xyz Summon! FIght on, Rasca Dawn Dragon!"_

A blinding light burst from the portal as Konami finished his chant. Shooting a crooked path through the clear sky, it curved upward into the sun, before turning back to hover above Konami. A pair of dark wings then shot outward, shattering the golden light like a shell and revealing the deadly monster within.

Rasca Dawn Dragon had arrived at last.

 _Rasca Dawn Dragon - Rank 4 - DARK - Dragon - (2500/2000)_

"So, that's it then..." Jack murmured, gazing upon the byzantium behemoth, "...the monster you've told us so much about."

"That's right, and he's about to win me this Duel!" Konami shouted, clenching his fist as Rasca Dawn roared above him. "I'm activating my monster's special effect! Once per turn, I can detach an Xyz Material from him to target and destroy one monster on the field! And that's not even the best part, because if I do, then you take damage equal to the destroyed monster's Attack Points!"

"What?!" Jack asked, eyes widening upon hearing the information. "So that's what you meant earlier! You're planning on destroying my Red Dragon Archfiend to wipe out the rest of my Life Points!"

"I'm not just planning on it," Konami growled, detaching Goggle Golem to activate the effect. "I'm _doing_ it! Go, Rasca Dawn Dragon! Destroy Red Dragon Archfiend and win me this duel with your _Destiny Flare!_ "

Rasca Dawn Dragon roared as it absorbed one of the two swirling orbs that represented its Xyz Material, then took flight to face Red Dragon Archfiend in the skies above. Gaping its jaws, it began to harness the dark power of the Earthbound Immortal sealed within its core, prompting a fearsome red light to begin glowing from its tail. The light slowly traveled up Rasca Dawn's spine, growing brighter and brighter with each protruding spike until finally, it reached the dragon's head. With a final treacherous roar, Rasca Dawn released the energy, firing a concentrated beam of destructive energy that would destroy Red Dragon Archfiend completely.

Red Dragon Archfiend screamed as the beam made contact, striking back with a fiery explosion that shook the very foundations of the garage and parking lot below. Both monsters disappeared in the ensuing storm of dust and debris, forcing both Jack and Konami - as well as the onlookers - to shield their eyes lest they go blind from the shock.

"Did that finish it?" Akiza asked from the garage.

Yusei and Crow were both silent, though inwardly they were wondering the same.

"No," Jack stated.

Suddenly, Red Dragon Archfiend burst from the settling dust, completely unscathed and looking better than ever. No, it was more than that. It had been saved, some form of crimson armor had attached itself to the dragon's chest, providing an extra edge in combat and sparing it from destruction.

"What?!" Konami gasped, looking at the upgraded dragon in shock, "But how-"

"It was my Trap Card," Jack explained, the smoke on his side clearing to reveal the card's shimmering form. "Assault Mode Activate! Using this card, I was able to tribute my Red Dragon Archfiend to escape the effect damage your monster would have given me, and then Special Summoned Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode from my Deck!"

 _Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode - LV10 - DARK - Dragon - (3500/2500)_

"...tch! Assault Mode, is it?" Konami grunted, "I should've known you wouldn't go down without a fight."

"Of course not!" Jack shouted, "A true King never gives up, and as far as I'm concerned, this duel is only just getting started!"

"Of course it is..." Konami grumbled, "...and since you used Assault Mode after I already targeted Red Dragon Archfiend, I can't even activate Rasca Dawn Dragon's effect to destroy this new monster instead... I hate to admit it, but you got me, Jack...!"

"Like I said before," Jack glowered, "there's more where that came from!"

"Then I'd better prepare myself," Konami replied. "I'll throw two cards face-down and end my turn. It's your move, Jack!"

"Then here I go!"

 **TURN FOUR - JACK - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 3000 LP**

"...and here you go!" Jack continued after drawing, "Well, your monster, that is! I attack Rasca Dawn Dragon with my Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode! Blow that oversized lizard away with your _Crimson Force!_ "

Red Dragon Archfiend howled, soaring through the sky as a crimson flame engulfed its right claw once again. After gathering its power for another attack, it turned and headed directly for Rasca Dawn Dragon, its outstretched claw poised to rip through the dark dragon's body completely.

Not one to be caught off guard, Rasca Dawn Dragon swept its wings inward, using them to protect its main body as Red Dragon Archfiend drew near. It had only just finished guarding itself when the claw hit, sending a explosive force showering out from their collision and down onto the parking lot below.

Konami grimaced as the shockwave nearly forced him from his feet, reducing his Life Points as Red Dragon Archfiend's roar signaled its triumph over the Xyz Monster.

 **KONAMI - 3000 LP  
JACK - 3000 LP**

"What is it with these two and explosions?!" Crow wondered, shielding his own eyes as he watched on from the sidelines.

"Jack's tied things up again..." Yusei noted.

"No, he's done more than that!" Akiza said. "Konami's been left defenseless now, and Jack still has his Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode, which has over three thousand Attack Points!"

Jack's booming laughter suddenly cut across the field, drawing everyone's attention as he stood proudly amongst the chaos.

"How was that, Konami?!" he asked, "Not even the power of your Xyz Monster is enough to defeat my Red Dragon Archfiend!"

"...tsk, don't think this is over just yet, Jack. Last I counted, I still have three thousand Life Points remaining, just like you!"

"For now, perhaps," Jack acquiesced, "but for how long? You have no monsters on the field, and even if you did, my Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode's effect would have destroyed them all alongside your Rasca Dawn Dragon! Face it, unless you pull something quick, you're toast!"

"Toast, huh?" Konami inquired, "Yeah, you might be right. If I don't do something quick, then you might very well finish things off the next time you attack... Fortunately, that Assault Mode monster of yours isn't as invincible as you think it is! It has one glaring weakness...which I'll be more than happy to exploit against you!"

"Feel free to try," Jack replied. "But if you think I'm just going to stand by while you attempt to make a mockery out of me, you're sorely mistaken! I'll throw two cards face-down, and call it a day."

"Then I guess that means its showtime," Konami grunted, steeling himself. "It's my turn...I draw!"

 **TURN FIVE - KONAMI - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 3000 LP**

"I told you your monster had a weakness...and now I'm going to prove it!" Konami said, glaring at the card he drew. "I activate... _Monster Reborn!_ "

Jack's eyes widened, "What?!" He shouted.

"As you know, Monster Reborn allows me to revive a monster from the Graveyard," Konami explained. "Unlike Call of the Haunted, however, this card lets me select a monster from _either_ of our Graveyards, and thanks to the cost of activating Assault Mode Activate, you've given me the perfect target."

"Of course, Red Dragon Archfiend!" Akiza exclaimed. "Jack had to tribute it to Special Summon its Assault Mode form, which means that right now, Konami can revive the original with his Spell Card!"

"And that's exactly what I'm going to do!" Konami shouted, placing the spell upon his Duel Disk and flinging his hand up to the sky, "Revive now, Red Dragon Archfiend! Emerge from the abyss, and serve your new master!"

A roaring pillar of flames burst from the ground behind Konami as he activated Monster Reborn's effect. Jack watched on in shock as the flames scattered against the concrete, giving way to the dark and terrible form of his own ace monster: Red Dragon Archfiend!

 _Red Dragon Archfiend - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3000/2000)_

Konami stared at Jack's stunned expression and chuckled darkly.

"What was it you had called this monster again, Jack?" he asked, " _Your very soul?_ Well, now your soul is in my hands. Just like Carly's future."

"...ck! Using my own monster against me...!" Jack grunted, clenching his fist. "How dare you!"

"And there's a lot more where that came from, like this!" Konami said, revealing a monster card in his hand, "My Evocator Chevalier...who I'm summoning in Attack Position!"

A burning warrior suddenly shimmered into view, clasping a long silver sword. He was clad in a crimson gown with armored shoulder pads, and his face was hidden behind a similarly colored mask with a single embedded in its center. Flames engulfed his left arm, acting as a powerful weapon against those who would do him harm. As he came into full view, the warrior turned on his heel and pointed his blade's edge toward Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode, ready and willing to die for his master's cause.

 _Evocator Chevalier - LV4 - FIRE - Warrior - (1900/900)_

"So you've summoned another monster I see," Jack growled, still glaring at Konami for his use of Red Dragon Archfiend. "Still, even with that monster and Red Dragon Archfiend, you still haven't the firepower to overcome my Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode!"

"He's right," Yusei said. "Red Dragon Archfiend only has three thousand Attack Points, while Jack's Archfiend/Assault Mode has thirty five hundred. That's still too big a difference to win Konami this battle."

"That's where you're both wrong," Konami said. "When you summoned Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode, I knew I wouldn't be able to overcome it using normal means. That's why I played this face-down card - _Xyz Soul!_ "

The trap he'd played last turn flipped upward to reveal itself.

"Xyz Soul?" Jack asked, staring at its artwork. "I've never heard of that card before!"

"Then allow me to explain what it does," Konami said. "First, I select one Xyz Monster from my Graveyard and return it to the Extra Deck. Then, all monsters I control gain Attack Points equal to the Rank of the Xyz Monster times two hundred. Naturally, since my Rasca Dawn Dragon is the only Xyz Monster in my Graveyard, I'll be returning him."

"Wait, but your Rasca Dawn Dragon is a Rank Four monster!" Jack exclaimed.

"That's right," Konami nodded, sliding the card back into the Extra Deck Zone, "which means that both my Evocator Chevalier and Red Dragon Archfiend gain eight hundred Attack Points until the end of my turn."

Jack's eyes widened, "Eight Hundred?! But that'll make Red Dragon Archfiend's Attack Points higher than Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode's!"

"And that's just what I was counting on!" Konami declared with a grin.

His two monsters began to glow as the shadow of Rasca Dawn Dragon appeared behind them, lending them both its power.

 _Evocator Chevalier - LV4 - FIRE - Warrior - (2700/900)_

 _Red Dragon Archfiend - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3800/2000)_

"Here goes," Konami muttered. "Go, Red Dragon Archfiend! Destroy Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode with your _Absolute Powerforce!_ "

"...kh! Fine then," Jack shouted, "Go ahead!"

The two Red Dragon Archfiends lunged at each other, their bodies colliding in a fit of blazing hot rage. Ripping and tearing at each other, they flew higher and higher into the sky, each wanting to one up the other. As they reached the edge of Earth's atmosphere, the two dragons finally broke apart, growling softly at each other in approval of their power. Alas, only one could win, and they knew who it would be.

Gathering their power within their right claws, the two Red Dragon Archfiends lashed out once more, striking through each other with their ultimate attacks. A blinding flash of light roared out from the collision, and as it faded, only one dragon remained intact.

Konami's Red Dragon Archfiend.

With a thunderous roar it screamed its victory to the heavens, then turned to watch as its Assault Mode counterpart fell from the sky, defeated. Down and down it fell, back toward the earth, toward the duel, until finally...it shattered completely, raining its remains upon Jack's scowling form.

 **KONAMI - 3000 LP  
JACK - 2700 LP**

"Perfect," Konami cheered, "the attack went through! And now that you have no monsters left to defend you, my powered-up Evocator Chevalier has just enough Attack Points to end this duel of ours! Let's go, Chevalier! Attack Jack directly with your _Burning Slash_!"

Roaring mightily, the flaming warrior of the Gemini leapt forward and clasped his blade tight, hoping to cleave it across Jack's form to bring Konami victory. However, just as he got within striking distance, Jack met Konami's gaze with a determined glint in his eye.

"Shit, what's he got planned?!" Konami gasped.

"Your dueling is predictable, Red Hat! Don't think I'll be beaten by it so easily!" Jack shouted, throwing his hand forward to reveal a Trap. "I activate my face-down, Red Carpet!"

"...!?"

"This card can only be activated when there's a Dragon-type Synchro Monster on the field!" Jack explained.

"...Ah!" Konami gasped, eyes wide. "Don't tell me...he saw through my plan?!"

"The King is always at least two steps ahead! The moment you mentioned my Red Dragon Archfiend/Assault Mode's weakness, I knew exactly what you were plotting! That's why I played this card," Jack explained. "It lets me Special Summon up to two 'Resonator' monsters from my Graveyard. Of course, I only have one right now, but that's all I need to stop your monster's attack dead in its tracks. Come on back, Dark Resonator!"

The tuning fiend cackled impishly as it materialized in front of Evocator's attack, taking the hit for Jack in order to protect him.

 _Dark Resonator - LV3 - DARK - Fiend - (1300/300)_

"And thanks to my Dark Resonator's effect, he won't be destroyed the first time he loses a battle," Jack continued. "Sorry, but I'm not going anywhere. Better luck next time, as they say."

"...tsk." Konami glowered, "Damn, you actually managed to avoid that, huh? You really are a dangerous opponent, Jack. You managed to protect yourself from Rasca Dawn Dragon's effect, and you even foresaw me reviving Red Dragon Archfiend and using it against you... Really, it's no surprise that you were once King of New Domino City. However, that doesn't mean I'm just going to roll over and lose here! Despite what you might think, I know what I'm doing is the right course of action. I'll gather the Dark Signers and find a way to use this power against E'Rah and the Vylon! I can't afford to let anyone stop me on this. Not Akiza, not Yusei, and certainly not you."

"Hey, aren't you forgetting someone here?" Crow asked, a little disappointed at being left out.

Konami ignored him.

"Konami," Jack said, "despite what it may seem like, I do understand where you're coming from. Having experienced it myself, I know full well how useful the power of the Dark Signers can be against the Vylon. If we're being honest here, my problem isn't with you using that power. It's the involvement of Carly and Mikage that have me so worked up. You left on your trip right after all that business with the Transcenders, so you probably haven't realized it yet, but Carly and Mikage have no memory of the time they spent as Dark Signers. It's as if that chapter of their lives never existed, and now you're saying that you're going to drag them back into dangerous battles with the fate of the world at stake!"

"Is what he's saying true?" Konami asked Akiza. "Do they really remember nothing of their time as Dark Signers?"

"Well, it's been a while since we've last confirmed it..." Akiza admitted, "...but from the few times we did have conversations about it, yes. Neither Carly nor Mikage seem to recall what they did after gaining the Mark of Shadows."

"And what about Kalin and Misty? Do they remember their time as Dark Signers?"

"Well, last I heard Kalin was away traveling, and Misty's been so busy that I'm lucky to get a postcard from her, much less have an actual conversation."

"I see," Konami replied. "So you're saying that you've neither confirmed nor denied the possibility that they recall the power they once possessed."

Jack frowned, "Even if Kalin and Misty did remember, that doesn't change the fact that Carly and Mikage don't! And since that's the case, you shouldn't go involving either of them in this!"

"No, whether they remember or not is irrelevant," Konami told him. "Memories or no memories, I'm coming to them with this."

"Wha-?! Why?!" Jack shouted, furious. "Haven't you been listening to a word I've been saying? They don't remember? Nothing about the atrocities they committed, nor the power they once possessed! If you drag them into this, you'll be pulling them back into a world they don't understand! Think about what you're doing here; these are our friends we're talking about!"

"Exactly, they're our friends, so they should have the right to make the decision for themselves," Konami told him. "If they remember something, I'll remind them. If they don't understand something, then I'll explain it. What I won't do is leave them out of the loop, casting away a potential ally without even asking if they wanted to help in the first place! You keep treating me like I'm the villain, but I think we all know what's really going on here."

"Oh really, then please enlighten me!" Jack spat.

Konami smirked, "You aren't mad because I might drag the two of them into a battle where they might get hurt. That's not it at all. No, the real reason you're upset...is because you're afraid that I might take them away from you."

A tense silence filled the parking lot.

"What?!" Jack shouted, eye twitching.

"Oh, come on, Jack." Konami said, "We all know that Mikage and Carly have a thing for you. It's no secret, but that's not all they are! They're both proud, strong women who have dreams and desires! Ones that go well beyond bedding Jack Atlas!"

"...Wow," Akiza said. " _That's_ what you took away from Jack's speech? Really?"

"Oh, come on! It's obvious!" Konami shouted back, "I mean...you can practically _see_ the desperation on his face."

Jack grit his teeth, his fist trembling in rage as he glared at Konami. "You..."

"Quite frankly, I'm surprised," Konami continued, "I never thought Jack 'motherfucking' Atlas of all people was afraid of getting cucked. Nonetheless, you can rest assured. I've no intention of _stealing_ their affections away from you. I've kinda already got a girl, and she's not exactly the sharing type, if you know what I mean."

"You...You imbecile...!" Jack growled, shaking in rage. "You actually think _that's_ what I'm worried about?! That Carly or Mikage would - _we're not even in a relationship!_ "

"Oh, my apologies." Konami chuckled, "...So that means they're on the market?"

Jack saw red.

"That's it!" he shouted, "I've listened to this garbage you're spouting long enough! You might have stolen my soul and my Life Points, but there's one thing a Duelist always keeps... _HIS PRIIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEE!_ "

A crimson light burst forth from Jack's arm at that moment, enveloping the area with its fiery red glow. Konami staggered backward in surprise, shielding his eyes from the burning glow that now emanated from Jack's Mark of the Dragon.

"The hell?" Konami asked, squinting past his arms to stare at Jack. "I know I was riling him up, but I seriously pushed him far enough for the Crimson Dragon to get involved? I'm calling Haxx!"

"Call whoever you wish, but I'm not going to stand here and let you make a mockery out of me any longer! For Carly...! For Mikage...! For my very soul itself...! I will defeat you!"

 _'Damn!'_ Konami thought with a grimace, _'I was hoping for my joke to throw him off so he'd make a mistake, but it looks like it's backfired big time! Depending on what he draws, this could get real bad, real quick!'_

"It's my Turn," Jack said, closing his eyes as the image of the Crimson Dragon itself superimposed itself on top of him. His eyes then opened wide, revealing nothing but the crimson light of the King as he reached into his deck and pulled forth a glowing card.

 _ **"DRAW!"**_

 **TURN SIX - JACK - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 2700 LP**

Jack's eyes immediately snapped to the drawn card. His facial expression revealed nothing but determination, but that was all he needed.

"The battle with the Dark Signers ended a long time ago, Konami." Jack said, "You might have gained some semblance of that power, and you might even think it can help us now, but the fact is everyone's already moved on with their lives since then. Like it or not, there are no other Dark Signers, and this card...given to me by the Crimson Dragon itself proves it! I summon Fortune Lady _Past_ in Attack Mode!"

He placed the glowing card upon his Duel Disk, then watched as a crimson light filled the space before him. Slowly but surely, it began to fade, giving way to the form of a slender young woman. She was tan, it seemed, and clothed in a pitch-black dress that resembled the regalia the Dark Signers wore so long ago. A pair of thigh-high boots sat comfortably around her legs, and a long wooden cane sat neatly in her right hand, glowing with the power of time itself. Her face was obscured by a winged and pointed hood, upon which sat the glowing seal of the Fortune Ladies, monsters Konami had seen once before.

No, more than that. He recognized the woman as well, or at least, could make out who she was meant to be.

"Carly..." Konami murmured, "Rather, the form she took when acting as a Dark Signer."

"That's right!" Jack declared, "This monster, Fortune Lady Past, is a representation of my bond with that woman! No, not just her, but Mikage as well!"

The dark Fortune Lady stood by Jack quietly but supportively, ready to act on his behalf at any moment.

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV1 - DARK - Spellcaster - (?/?)_

"Wait, it has no Attack Points?" Konami asked.

"Actually, it does!" Jack corrected. "Fortune Lady Past gains Attack and Defense Points equal to her Level times two hundred."

"It's Level times two hundred?" Crow asked, still watching from the garage with the others, "But wait, that monster's only Level One! That means it only has two hundred Attack and Defense Points!"

"And it's about to gain a few more, because I'm activating her special effect!" Jack declared. "Once per turn, I can banish any number of Spellcaster monsters from my hand, field, or Graveyard to increase or reduce the Level of a "Fortune Lady" monster I control."

"Spellcasters, huh?" Konami asked with a smile, "Tough luck. Last I checked, your deck didn't run many of those, and while it may be powerful, I doubt the Crimson Dragon changed anything that was already there."

"Fortunately, it didn't need to." Jack retorted, "I already have a Spellcaster monster in my hand; the _Arcane Apprentice!_ So by banishing him now," he continued, flipping the card around to reveal it before sliding it into the Banished Zone of his Duel Disk, "I can increase Fortune Lady Past's Level by one, turning her into a Level Two Tuner monster!"

Fortune Lady Past smiled upon seeing the sacrifice, then spun her cane around herself, drawing several sigils in the air meant to increase her power. In all of a second, the sigils began to glow as one, disappearing inside Past's body and imbuing her with newfound strength.

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV2 - DARK - Spellcaster - (400/400)_

"Hold on," Konami noticed, "You said Fortune Lady Past was a Tuner monster?"

"That's right," Jack replied. "And I'll be using her to perform a Synchro Summon!"

"But how?" Akiza asked, "Last I checked, the only other monster you controlled was your Dark Resonator, and that monster's a Tuner as well!"

"Yeah, what gives?" Crow asked. "You can't tune a Tuner monster, and Jack's already Normal Summoned this turn, so he can't even summon another monster to tune his Fortune Lady with.

"No," Yusei smiled, somehow sensing what Jack had planned. "He doesn't need to. Konami's already provided everything for him."

"What?" Konami asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that your desire to make a fool out of me has backfired!" Jack shouted, "I've been two steps ahead of you the entire time, and this moment is no different! You noticed earlier that I knew you'd steal my Red Dragon Archfiend, and you were right, which is why I prepared this card, for this moment! I activate my Trap Card, _Synchro Material!_ "

Jack's last face-down lifted upward to reveal itself.

"Synchro Material...?" Konami inquired.

"That's right, and like its name suggests, it lets me treat a monster I can't normally use for a Synchro Summon as Synchro Material. Specifically, one of _your_ monsters."

"What?!" Konami gasped, a foreboding sensation creeping down his spine. "Don't tell me...!"

"Yes," Jack said, "The monster I'm choosing to use as Synchro Material is the Red Dragon Archfiend you revived from my Graveyard!"

"But Red Dragon Archfiend is already a Level Eight monster...!" Konami breathed, "If you tune it with something else, just what the hell are you trying to summon?!"

"You're about to find out, because I'm tuning Red Dragon Archfiend with Fortune Lady Past!"

Fortune Lady Past giggled as she disappeared into the void, shattering into a pair of golden sigils that swirled around Red Dragon Archfiend. The Signer Dragon snarled at being accosted, but unable to resist the lure of Jack's Trap Card, it quickly gave in, allowing the sigils to free the stars within. Together, the eight swirling stars and soaring sigils burst high into the sky, colliding together in a crimson dance of power that announced the birth of a new King.

 _"Let the peaks roar! Split the mountains and come forth, along with the flames of the earth! Synchro Summon! Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane!"_

An explosion suddenly rocked the skies above the parking lot. Burning debris fell around the two Duelists, filling the air with dirt and soot as a looming great shadow descended from above. Wreathed in the wicked power of the King, it blew away the dust with a single swing of the great cleaver attached to its arm, then turned to stare down at Konami.

Konami stared back, and in doing so, he saw hell.

It was a demon, with thick purple skin and pitch-black armor the likes of which the world had never seen. A pair of bat-like wings sprouted from the beast's back, torn and tattered as if it had endured a million battles or more. A long, lashing tail stretched out from its rear, and a pair of blade-like protrusions sat at the end of it, ready to cut down any who were foolish enough to step a little too close. Three curved and wicked horns broke out from its thick, red face, and gleaming yellow lights protruded from its armor, staring out into the void as if they were eyes.

It was...a monstrosity.

 _Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane - LV10 - DARK - Dragon - (3500/3000)_

"Jack..." Yusei murmured, "...so is this the answer you've found?"

"Amazing!" Akiza breathed, "He's found a way to evolve his Red Dragon Archfiend!"

"...tsk!" Konami grimaced, "I should've expected as much. Jack really is...an amazing Duelist...!"

"Not getting cold feet I hope," Jack told him, "after all, I'm only just getting started!"

"What?" Konami gasped.

Jack smirked, "I activated my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane's special effect! Once per turn, I can tribute a monster I control to Special Summon a "Red Dragon Archfiend" monster from my Graveyard! And since I still have my Dark Resonator on the field..."

"...shit!"

"That's right! Say goodbye to Dark Resonator," Jack said, watching the Tuner vanish as a much larger shadow began to reform on his side of the field, "and say Welcome Back to my very soul, Red Dragon Archfiend!"

The dragon roared as it reappeared on the side of the field where it belonged, ready and willing to wreak havoc in Jack's name.

 _Red Dragon Archfiend - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3000/2000)_

"Did he make a mistake?" Yusei wondered.

"What was that?" Crow asked.

"Jack's move just now..." Yusei murmured, "Red Dragon Archfiend may be Jack's very soul, but he wouldn't summon it if it would be against his best interests to do so."

"I still don't follow," Crow replied.

"It's because of the Synchro Material Trap card Jack used," Akiza explained. "It lets you Synchro Summon with an opponent's monster, but the cost for doing so is losing your Battle Phase!"

"What? But without Battle Phase, Jack won't be able to attack with either of his monsters!"

"Which is precisely the problem," Yusei explained. "Remember, Red Dragon Archfiend has more than one effect. It's first one destroys all Defense Position monsters the opponent controls, but the second..."

"...Ah, that's right!" Crow remembered, "Red Dragon Archfiend's second effects destroys all of Jack's monsters that haven't declared an attack that turn! So wait, what gives? If Jack doesn't have a Battle Phase, why would he summon back Red Dragon Archfiend when doing so would mean he'd lose his fancy new monster too?!"

"I don't know," Yusei replied. "Unless..."

"Unless I wasn't done showing you all just what I'm capable of!" Jack interrupted, placing the last card in his hand on his Duel Disk. "You activated this card earlier, so now it's time for me to use mine! I play _Monster Reborn!_ "

"Ugh...!" Konami winced, already realizing what was about to occur.

"Come on back, Fortune Lady Past!" Jack shouted, staring Konami down coldly as the Carly-based Spellcaster revived.

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV1 - DARK - Spellcaster - (200/200)_

"What the-? He brought that Tuner monster of his back?" Akiza asked. "So what? He's about to Synchro Summon _again?!_ "

"Alright, Jack! Take it to the hoop!" Crow shouted.

"Oh, I'll do more than that," Jack declared, "because once again, I'm tuning my Red Dragon Archfiend with Fortune Lady Past!"

The two monsters vanished again into a collision of sigils and stars.

 _"Demon King unleashed from the darkness of the abyss! Let your rage explode!"_

An explosion rocked the skies once more, raining down upon the field. Konami cursed as the falling debris descended upon him, knocking him onto his rear as Jack's second new monster fell from the sky.

Unlike Bane, this new monster still clearly resembled the original Red Dragon Archfiend. Its skin and skin were still black and red, but a pair of great cleavers had attached themselves to the dragon's wrists, and a single chestplate sat glowing with the eyes of the underworld upon the dragon's chest. Bony protrusions burst from the monster's shoulderpads, which were also armored, and a devastating crimson aura drowned the world around it into a bloody red hue.

Undoubtedly, this monster too...was a monstrosity.

 _"SYNCHRO SUMMON! HOT RED DRAGON ARCHFIEND ABYSS!"_

 _Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss - LV9 - DARK - Dragon - (3200/2500)_

Rising from his fallen state, Konami chuckled weakly as he stared at Jack's two new monsters.

"Great..." he muttered, forcing himself to his feet amongst their growls and snarls. "Looks like...I'm really in for it...huh?"

And as the two monsters roared down at him, Konami Kodo could do nothing but pray.

* * *

 _ **Chapter Four - END**_

* * *

 _"SYNCHRO SUMMON!"_

 _With his pride on the line, Jack uses the power of his two new monsters to drive Konami into a corner. Unwilling to admit defeat, Konami attempts to withstand Jack's new strength while planning a counterattack of his own. As the back-and-forth battle between these two Duelists rages to new heights, the Mark of the Shadows on Konami's arm begins to glow!_

 _"Never forget, she was my partner first!"_

 _ **Next time on Tag Force 2: Betrayal! The Wicked Dragon Descends!**_

 _"For the sake of the future, I won't lose...!"_


	5. Betrayal! The Wicked Dragon Descends!

_**"SYNCHRO SUMMON! HOT RED DRAGON ARCHFIEND BANE!"**_

 _Konami winced as an explosion suddenly rocked the skies above the parking lot. Flaming shards of bone and blood rained down soon after, showering those in the vicinity with its dark and crimson hue. However, despite the horrific imagery and iron smell that filled the nostrils, Konami found that he couldn't care less about any of the debris. His eyes were too focused on the hovering cloud of dust from whence it came; a cloud of dust that had begun to paint itself a sickly purple hue._

 _As if spurred on his observation, a black pillar of miasma suddenly crashed down from the dust cloud, obliterating the space before Jack and sending a thick rolling fog in Konami's direction. He braced himself against it, tensing the muscles in his legs to resist the forceful wind that threatened to blow him off his feet._

 _It was not enough._

 _A great and terrible snarl blew through his eardrums, and before Konami knew what hit him, a second gust of wind cut through the fog, nearly knocking him onto his rear. He caught himself at the last moment, using an arm to stabilize himself as he climbed back onto his feet._

 _It was only then, when he thought he'd finally recovered, that he saw it: the pair of glowing yellow eyes that glared at him through the mist._

 _"Is that...Jack's new monster...?!" He asked aloud._

 _A bead of nervous sweat rolled down the back of his neck at the thought. Just what short of wicked devil had Jack Atlas managed to scrounge up this time? How many Attack Points did it have? What sort of effect? If it was called forth by the power of the Crimson Dragon, then only one thing was certain: Jack's new monster was more than powerful, and it would blow him away if he wasn't careful._

 _Of course, that wasn't even the worst of it. Not only had he summoned up this new monster, but now Jack was aiming for an encore. In mere seconds, he had revived his two most important monsters and brought them together once again._

 _ **"SYNCHRO SUMMON!"**_ _Konami heard through the fog,_ _ **"HOT RED DRAGON ARCHFIEND ABYSS!"**_

 _A thunderous crack echoed through the fog and in a single burst of light, the mist was blown away, revealing a crimson torrent of energy that swirled down from the sky. Suddenly, a pair of great cleavers sliced through the hurricane of power, dispersing it completely and revealing not only the appearance of Jack's first new monster...but his second as well._

 _Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane - LV10 - DARK - Dragon - (3500/3000)_

 _Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss - LV9 - DARK - Dragon - (3200/2500)_

 _"Abyss and Bane, huh...?" Konami asked._

 _"Fitting names for the monsters I'll use to defeat you!" Jack stated. "I hope you've prepared yourself, because with these Red Dragon Archfiends on my side, you don't stand a chance!"_

 _"Yeah, maybe not," Konami agreed, forcing himself to stand proud as he stared at the towering dragons of the underworld and their pair of razor-sharp blades. "Maybe this is it. Maybe your next attack will end everything for me...but there's no way in hell I'm letting you take me out looking like a chump! So come on, hit me with everything you've got! I'll take it all like a champ, and show you exactly what I'm made of!"_

 _And so, with that heartfelt declaration, the two Duelists stood proud, ready to end things once and for all._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Five**_

* * *

 _ **Betrayal! The Wicked Dragon Descends!**_

* * *

 _"Battle!"_ Konami heard Jack declare, a tense feeling rolling down his spine, "At least, that's what I'd _like_ to say. Fortunately for you, I activated my _Synchro Material_ Trap Card earlier this turn to Synchro Summon with Red Dragon Archfiend! While doing so did help me bring out these two new monsters, it also prevents me from partaking in my Battle Phase this turn. Consider it the King's Mercy, I'm giving you one last turn to put your affairs in order before I end this charade once and for all!"

Despite the tense situation, Konami couldn't help but feel like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His body sagged, relief sweeping through him and blowing away the anxiety he so recently felt.

He had another move.

Another chance to turn the tide back in his favor.

But could he do it?

Glancing away from Jack to his own side of the field, Konami quickly took note of his situation.

He still had his face-down card. More importantly though, he had one monster on the field; Evocator Chevalier. It was a fine monster, boasting a decent nineteen hundred Attack Points, but even that was nothing against the power of Jack's current monsters. That being said, it wasn't entirely useless. The Chevalier did have a special effect; one that could send an Equip Card Konami controlled to the Graveyard in order to target a face-up monster on the field and destroy it. Such an ability could potentially be used to overcome Jack's monsters...

 _'...but I don't have any Equip Cards right now,'_ Konami thought, _'and even if I did, my Evocator Chevalier hasn't even entered its Gemini state yet. Can I really afford to waste my Normal Summon transforming him when Jack has these big hitters on the field?'_

Of course not.

That could change, if Konami happened to draw _Supervise_ , an Equip Card that enabled a Gemini Monster to use its effects without being Double Summoned, but what were the odds of him drawing it...? And even if it did come, that would still leave Konami to deal with another powerful monster. No, he needed another plan.

So he glanced to the one card in his hand.

The fierce helm of Endymion's Crusader stared back at him.

 _'I can't use this either,'_ Konami thought. _'I could probably use it and Evocator to Xyz Summon Rasca Dawn Dragon again. He could potentially destroy one of those dragons, but I don't even know Abyss' effect yet! If it happens to have something that shuts me down then I'm toast...! I can't rely on a risky play like that unless I'm sure it'll work.'_

"...tch!" he frowned. "Looks like I'm really in for it this time, huh?"

Pushed into a corner, forced to rely on his draws...

"Guess I'll have to get my game on," he decided.

Determined, he glanced back to Jack.

"Alright," he told him. "if you're done showing off, that makes it my move! I might be in a bit of a pickle here, but my deck's never let me down before, and I doubt it will start today! Let's do this...I draw!"

 **TURN SEVEN - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 3000 LP**

"Perfect!" Konami said, laying eyes upon just the card he needed. "I activate Pot of Greed!"

There was a gasp from the sidelines, and even his opponent's eyes seemed to have widened in shock.

"Pot of Greed?" Jack asked, "What does that do?"

"It lets me draw as many cards as I need to beat you!" Konami explained, "In this case, I'm thinking two."

He quickly drew two more cards from his deck, then glanced them over quickly with a frown.

"Not exactly the best draws in the world," he admitted, "but they will help give me an edge once I activate this; my Trap Card - _Gemini Ablation!_ "

A shimmering light filled the field as Konami's face-down card flipped upward to reveal itself.

"This card is a Continuous Trap that has quite a bit going on with it, so let me run you through it all quick-like! First, I discard one card from my hand," Konami explained, parting ways with the _Crusader of Endymion_ he'd thought about summoning. "Then, I get to Special Summon a Gemini Monster from my Deck! And that's not even the best part, because the Gemini Monster that I summoned gets to be treated as an Effect Monster, meaning it can use all of its powerful abilities right off the bat!"

"Oh, really now?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Konami confirmed, "and I have just the Gemini in mind, so please, give a warm welcome to-"

"-nobody, because I'm activating my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss' effect!" Jack interrupted.

"What?!" Konami shouted, more insulted about being cut off than the fact that the hulking demon before him had an ability.

"You heard me," Jack said, "and now you're going to hear him, because his effect lets me negate a face-up card on the field during either player's turn!"

The massive, blade-wielding dragon roared upon hearing those words, and its terrible voice sent ripples through the air, paralyzing everything in the vicinity with its massive pressure. The face-up Gemini Ablation Trap Card began to glow with a sickly crimson hue as the ripples reached it, and before Konami knew it, all color had drained from the card. It was left as a pale gray husk of its former self, unable to activate even the slightest effect in the presence of Jack's evolved Archfiend.

"No...my Trap Card...!" Konami cursed.

"It's been forced to abort!" Jack told him. "And it'll stay that way until the End Phase, so I'm afraid you won't be seeing any Gemini Monsters this time around!"

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I'm out of options just yet! If I can't use Ablation's effect to bring in new monsters, then I'll just have to use what I already have! And now that I know the effects of your new monsters, I have just the guy in mind! I activate _Dragon's Mirror!_ " Konami shouted, revealing one of the two Spells he'd drawn with Pot of Greed.

A cursed mirror materialized on the field as its card was placed on Konami's Duel Disk. Hovering gently behind Evocator Chevalier, it began to glow with a pale light, ready to invoke the power that would set its caster free.

"Dragon's Mirror allows me to Fusion Summon by banishing monsters on my field and in my Graveyard! The downside - if you can call it that - is that I can only summon a Dragon-type Monster with this effect. Fortunately for me, that's exactly the type of monster that I want to bring out! And I'll do it...by banishing two Normal Monsters!"

"Normal Monsters?!" Crow shouted from the sidelines. "But you don't have any!"

"Actually, he does." Akiza told him. "Remember, once they've been summoned to the field, Gemini Monsters aren't treated as Effect Monsters right away! They have to be Gemini Summoned first, and until they have been, they are treated as Normal Monsters, vanilla as vanilla can be!"

"Well, that might explain how he can use Evocator Chevalier," Jack said, "but it doesn't explain where he got the second monster!"

"From his Graveyard," Yusei told him. "Just like when they're on the field, Gemini Monsters are treated as Normal Monsters when they're in the Graveyard. And since he has a few of them in there...that means he can use any one of them to fulfill the summoning requirements of his monster."

"That's right," Konami confirmed, "so I hope you're ready to see some old-style summoning methods, because I'm banishing my Evocator Chevalier and Goggle Golem!"

Evocator Chevalier vanished in a pillar of flame upon hearing Konami's decision, vanishing into the mirror in a streak of red light. A brown and earthy force soon followed, bursting out of the Graveyard Zone on Konami's Duel Disk to join its Gemini brethren in the glowing mirror that would merge their soul. Inside its crystal glass, the two glowing powers began to swirl and mix together, before shattering out from the mirror in a blinding wave of light.

 _"The world shudders to invoke an age-old force! Give praise to all those who came before! Fusion Summon! Remember them all,_ _ **Wyrm - First of the Dragons!**_ _"_

A pair of horned purple wings broke through the light as Konami finished his chant. They spread outward and outward, passing beyond the boundary of the parking lot and into the streets beyond. A proud, earth-shaking roar then filled the air, and the thick fog emanating from Jack's two evolved dragons gave way to reveal a new frightening beast.

Its body stretched onward and upward, higher and higher into sky only to suddenly curve and continue a different direction. Rows of spikes and dark purple scales lined its skin, traveling alongside its growing mass until finally, they reached its fearsome head. A series of dark, jagged horns pushed out from the back of its neck. Even more grew out from the bottom of its chin, portraying a silverish hue that almost resembled a wiseman's beard. A row of dark yellow teeth lined its gaping mouth, and yet another horn sat on the tip of its nose, perfect from butchering its prey as it went in for the kill. With gleaming red eyes, it gazed out from the peak of the world, always watching, waiting, for its next foe to appear.

This was Wyrm, the First of all Dragons!

 _Wyrm, First of the Dragons - LV9 - DARK - Dragon - (2700/2000)_

"Quite the appearance your monster has," Jack said, glaring at the monster that dwarfed even his Red Dragon Archfiend's evolutions, "but I can't help but notice that you summoned him in Defense Position! A shame. All that effort and all you could summon was a monster whose strength was all talk!"

"Wyrm might not have the stats to match up against your dragons," Konami replied, "but that doesn't make him weak. It just means his speciality lies elsewhere, something you'll realize soon enough, Jack!"

"The only thing anyone's going to realize is how much of a fool you're being once I've beaten you!" Jack spat, "And I'm going to beat you...right now! It's my Turn, Draw!"

 **TURN EIGHT - JACK - ONE CARD IN HAND - 2700 LP**

After glancing at his drawn card, Jack quickly turned back to face Konami with a glare.

"I'm sure you planned to use whatever effect your monster has to protect yourself this turn, but I'm sorry to say that won't be happening! I activate my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss' effect! It'll negate whatever ability your Wyrm has until the End Phase, meaning I'll be free to use my monsters to get at your Life Points. And I _will_ be getting at your Life Points," Jack growled, "especially once I use this - my _Stop Defense_ Spell Card!"

He placed his drawn card onto his Duel Disk, allowing a larger version of it to materialize on the field face-up.

"Oh? So you had that old classic in your Deck, huh?" Konami muttered warily.

"That's right, and it'll drag your feeble monster from its defensive state, forcing it into Attack Mode!" Jack explained.

A green wave of energy shot out from the card as Jack spoke, crossing through the parking lot and blasting Wyrm directly in the face. The sudden attack made the monster snarl in rage, and it angrily spread its wings outward as it prepared to strike back at whoever had attacked it so suddenly.

"...tsk...!" Konami winced, "Here he comes...!"

"Battle!" Jack shouted, proceeding to his Battle Phase, "I attack your Wyrm, First of the Dragons with my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane! Go Bane, rip that Slifer wannabe to pieces! _Great Summit Breaker!_ "

With a roaring snarl, Red Dragon Archfiend Bane leapt forward, plowing toward Wyrm with an outstretched fist. The First of the Dragons responded immediately, releasing a crimson stream of flame that attempted to scorch the approaching Bane alive, but it was useless. Bane was used to the flames of the underworld, and compared to them, Wyrm's simple breath of fire was nothing! Roaring proudly, it slung a hand to the hand, dispersing the flames completely and leaving Wyrm wide open.

With a single swift blow, Bane slung his great cleaver across the First of the Dragons' face, then followed with a downward fist clad in the power of darkness itself!

A roaring explosion accompanied the second blow, masking Konami's monster from view as Bane returned to Jack's field, triumphant. Konami grimaced, shielding his eyes. Smoke and flame from the collision rained down upon him, but still he remained standing, knowing the fight wasn't over yet.

"Guh...!"

 **KONAMI - 2200 LP**

"And now that you're defenseless," Jack began, only to pause as a sudden growl echoed out from the dispersing smoke. "Wait, what?"

Suddenly, a pair of outstretched wings burst out from the smoke, revealing Wyrm, First of the Dragons! Though a new jagged cut sported its face, it stood ready and willing to protect Konami from further harm.

"Impossible! Your monster survived my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane's attack?!" Jack gasped, "But how?!"

"It's my Wyrm's special effect," Konami revealed. "Unlike other monsters, he can only be destroyed by battle with a Normal Monster, something your Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane isn't!"

"But how did it use that effect?!" Crow asked the sidelines, "Didn't Jack negate it with his Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss earlier?"

"That's right," Jack confirmed. "Abyss' effect should've negated your monster's ability until the End Phase! How is it still protected from battle?!"

"Simple," Konami replied. "It's my Wyrm's _other_ ability. It allows it to ignore other monster's abilities, which means that even though you used your Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss' effect to try and negate it, Wyrm was unaffected!"

"Grr...!" Jack growled, tightening his fists as he listened to Konami's explanation. "So you're saying my monster's effect was useless, is that it?"

"Right in one," Konami said with a smirk. "Guess the First of the Dragons isn't quite as weak as you thought it was, huh Jack?"

"Maybe not," Jack acquiesced, "but I'm not done yet! I activate my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane's second effect! When it inflicts battle damage, I Special Summon two Tuners Monsters of the same Level from my Graveyard and Deck in Defense Position, negating their effects!" He withdrew Fortune Lady Past and Barrier Resonator from each Zone respectively, then quickly placed them onto the field. "I Special Summon two Level One Monsters! Appear on my Field - Barrier Resonator, Fortune Lady Past!"

The two monsters materialized by Jack's side instantly, eager to serve him as he soared to even greater heights.

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV1 - DARK - Spellcaster - (200/200)_

 _Barrier Resonator - LV1 - LIGHT - Fiend - (300/800)_

"Two more Tuners..." Yusei murmured.

Konami grimaced, "Damn it, don't tell me you're planning on pulling out even more Synchro Summons!?"

"I wouldn't waste my time worrying about that if I were you," Jack told him, "because if you haven't noticed, I still have a monster to attack you with! Go, Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss! Attack the First of the Dragons with your _Abyss Rage Buster!_ "

The announced dragon lunged forward immediately upon being called, and much like Bane before it, attempted to cleave Wyrm in two with the blades strapped to its wrist. Unlike last time, however, Wyrm swung its wings inward, protecting its face and body as the blades dug deep through its purple scales.

A great rumbling followed as yet another explosion erupted from the Red Dragon's hands, and Konami winced as he felt the gut punch of another drop in his Life Points.

 **KONAMI - 1700 LP**

"And now for my Abyss' second effect!" Jack continued, unimpeded. "When it inflicts battle damage, I Special Summon a single Tuner from my Graveyard in Defense Position! Rise up, Dark Resonator!"

A third Tuner reappeared on Jack's side of the field, hovering above him with the two others after reviving from the man's Graveyard.

 _Dark Resonator - LV3 - DARK - Fiend - (1300/300)_

"Great...now he's got three Tuners..." Konami muttered as Wyrm growled warily beside him. "Let me guess, you're about to have some more fun, aren't you Jack?"

"That's right, and I'll start by tributing my Dark Resonator to revive my Red Dragon Archfiend with my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane's special effect!" Jack shouted.

For the second time that day, Jack's Dark Resonator screamed as it vanished in a crimson pillar of flame, its body burning to ash to give rise to an even greater form. Crimson, bat-like wings cut through the flames of hades, and announced the arrival of Jack's very soul! Yet again, Red Dragon Archfiend had revived!

 _Red Dragon Archfiend - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3000/2000)_

"He's summoned Red Dragon Archfiend again," Akiza noted, "And just like last time, he still has two Tuners on the field!"

"Yeah, but hasn't Jack already summoned the evolved versions of his monster?" Crow asked, "It's not like he can summon multiple copies of unique cards given to him by the Crimson Dragon, is it?"

"No, but I don't need to," Jack said, "because there's still one card I've been given that I haven't used!"

The sudden declaration made everyone pause.

"You mean...you still have another monster to summon?" Konami asked worriedly.

"Yes," Jack confirmed. "Unlike Crow and Yusei, I haven't been wasting my time here doing odd jobs and working on my Duel Runner! They call me things like moocher and deadbeat, but the truth is every day I've been pushing my dueling to its limits in search of new, great heights for me to soar to! To be honest, I was planning on saving this card for when I took my mantle back from Yusei, but..." He closed his eyes for a moment, clenching his fist as he thought of Carly and Mikage being dragged back into a fight they had no business taking part in. "...For their sake, I'll reveal the true heights of my power here and now!"

He raised the arm bearing his Signer Mark to the sky, prompting a crimson pulse to echo out across the field. It fueled his monsters with the power of the Crimson Dragon, pushing each and every one of them to their limits as he prepared to summon his new and greatest monster.

"Nothing can stop of roar of my power now!" Jack shouted ferociously. "I take my Red Dragon Archfiend, Level Eight..."

The Red Dragon growled softly as it listened to its partner's words.

"...and the two Level One Tuners Fortune Lady Past and Barrier Resonator..."

The Barrier Resonator giggled fiendishly as Lady Past hovered by Jack's side, supportive as always.

"...and _double tune_ them!"

Konami's eyes widened; his face frozen in shock as Jack's words reached his ears.

"Double Tune?!" he asked, astonished.

Even those on the sidelines looked surprised.

"A Synchro Summon with two Tuner Monsters?!" Crow asked.

Stunned, Akiza also felt the need to speak out. "I've never heard of such a thing!" she said.

"I am the King!" Jack shouted, proud as ever. "I exist beyond the realm of your common sense! This is my Big Bang!"

His three declared monsters leapt to the skies then, with Fortune Lady Past and Barrier Resonator shattering into a pair of burning circles through which Red Dragon Archfiend could fly. The roaring dragon quickly did so, and as its body passed between the flaming rings, the Crimson Dragon itself burst out of Jack's Signer Mark with its signature howl.

It soared through the parking lot, circling around Red Dragon Archfiend as Jack began a new chant of power and evolution.

 _ **"Ruler and Devil,"**_ he sang, _**"they cross now and here! Touch the soul of the Crimson Dragon, and raise up the cry of creation!"**_

"Is that-"

"No way!"

The Crimson Dragon soon vanished inside of Red Dragon Archfiend, turning the Signer Dragon's body translucent and revealing the eight glowing stars within. Together, they collided into a roar of fire that burst from the concrete of the parking lot itself, revealing the true power that Jack possessed!

 _ **"Synchro Summon!"**_ Jack roared, throwing his fist forward as his new monster emerged. _**"Appear! Level Ten, Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend!"**_

A roaring Red Dragon Archfiend burst from the parting flames as Jack finished his chant, showering the parking lot and street with his majesty. Four crimson wings spread out from its back, and each of their tips were dyed a bright flaming orange.

A pair of demonic red horns jutted out from the sides of its head, and its muscular black skin had gained new orange stripes running across each and every part of it like a tiger's stripes.

 _Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend - LV10 - DARK - Dragon - (3500/3000)_

"Amazing!" Akiza gasped. "He's gone from having two evolved versions of Red Dragon Archfiend to three!"

"So this is what you were doing Jack?" Crow murmured. "All this time I thought you were just being a deadbeat...but you've been seeking ways to improve your strength even since back then, huh? Amazing, compared to that...it looks like I'm the one whose been wasting time."

Yusei still said nothing, his thoughts hidden to all at the scene. Still, if one paid attention, they would not miss the subtle clench of his fists as he stared out into the parking lot, watching over Jack's duel. There was no doubt that he too had felt the ferocity of Jack's spirit at that moment, and one day, he knew he would have to do his best to match it.

But that day was not today.

Right now, it was Konami's turn...and he didn't know what to do.

How could he?

Jack had said it, after all.

 _This was it._

This was the ultimate form that Red Dragon Archfiend could currently take.

It hovered between its two counterparts and snarled with them down at Konami, waiting to see what his response would be in the face of such power. Would he tremble in fear? Would he break down and cry? Would he simply give up, accept his loss and spare himself the embarrassment of defeat?

No.

Konami was many things, but a coward was not one of them.

If Jack wanted to prove that the Dark Signers weren't needed by showing his strength, then Konami would just have to prove that were by shattering that strength on his own!

The question was how?

Wyrm, the First of the Dragons was the only monster that stood on his side of the field, and even if wasn't capable of being destroyed by battle with an Effect Monster, Konami was certain that Jack would pull some amazing scheme on his next turn to render the monster inert!

When it came to Traps, only Gemini Ablation remained; a card that Jack had made no secret he was capable of negating!

That left his hand, and unfortunately, it looked no better than his field!

All he had was Autonomous Action Unit, a Spell that would cost him fifteen hundred Life Points to cast, that is if Jack's Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss didn't negate it first!

These three cards, along with whatever he'd draw next, were all Konami had left to fight with.

 _ **No, that's not quite right.**_

Konami froze and suddenly glanced over his right shoulder. Even though he saw nothing but air, he could sense something; some invisible presence that hovered just beyond his vision. Almost as if-

"!?" Konami's eyes suddenly widened and he grasped his forearm in pain.

Akiza was the first to notice his state, glancing at him with a worry she had not felt for some time.

"Wait, what's happening to Konami?" she asked the others, "Why's he grasping his arm like that?"

"Maybe he's thinking about giving up?" Crow asked.

"No," Yusei said. "Konami's not the type of person to do that. It must be something else. Hm?"

A sudden throbbing caught Yusei's attention, and he glanced downward to find a red glow burning on his forearm. His Mark of the Dragon was glowing, and based on the sudden gasp he heard from Akiza, hers was as well!

"No, don't tell me...!" Yusei whispered, glancing back to Konami's struggling figure to see exactly what he'd hoped not to: the Mark of the Shadows on Konami's arm...it was glowing bright.

Piercing through the long red sleeve of Konami's jacket, its bright purple hue pulsed with a dark and deadly power. The burning pain earned a sharp, wincing grunt from Konami; and he stared at the Mark in surprise, even as he fought against the weight upon his back.

"My Mark...it's glowing...!?" he asked himself, only to wince again when he heard a screeching call echo out from within it, releasing a wave of dark miasma that threatened to consume him whole.

Beads of sweat began to roll down the side of his face as he continued to resist the call, but still the miasma grew, growing larger and larger with each passing second. It didn't take long for it to completely overwhelm him, and just when he thought he couldn't take any more...he let go, and his vision went dark.

 _ **'NO!'**_ Konami thought suddenly, his vision snapping back into focus as he got ahold of himself. He tightened his grip on the Mark of the Shadows, gritting his teeth as he fought against the miasma that so desperately sought to take him. "I won't let you overtake me! I won't...! I know that you're deadly; I've seen for myself just how dangerous the power of Darkness can be, but even so... _this power is mine to wield, not the other way around!_ "

He lifted his arm high into the sky, wincing in pain as the throbbing grew even stronger than before. The miasma seemed to split and crack, pouring out in waves across the parking lot, consuming the field whole.

"Damn it...!" Jack hissed, shielding his eyes as the waves hit, "I warned him, but he didn't listen!"

Everyone present grit their teeth as its waves overtook them, and those with Marks of the Dragons felt their forearms burn hotter than ever before. Despite this, no harm seemed to come to them, and after a several long and tense seconds, the fog seemed to lift, returning the parking lot to its former state. Eventually, Konami too was revealed to be unscathed, panting heavily with his head down as the Mark of the Shadows dimmed to a soft, gentle hue.

"Konami, are you alright?!" Akiza asked. "Are you still you?!"

"...yeah, I'm just fine." He said after a long moment, "No, more than that! Because just now, I've finally figured out how to beat you, Jack!"

Jack tensed at the declaration, still unsure after the tense moment that had just passed. "Is that so?" he asked Konami, only to receive a dark smirk and chuckle in response.

"Yeah," Konami said. "Just now, when the Mark of the Shadows tried to overwhelm me, I realized something. Even though I've been saying we need it on our side all this time, I've still been fighting all by myself. But you, you've used the power of the Crimson Dragon to evolve your monsters freely! It was only then, as my power overtook me that I understood it. My other self didn't treat this power as something separate from him. Which means that I have to do the same! Only by accepting this power as a part of me am I'm able to control it freely, and that's why, Jack...I've decided that if you're going to come at me with everything you've got, then it's only fair that I do the same...by using the power of the Immortals!"

"What?!" Jack shouted.

"It's my turn!" Konami shouted, lifting his Mark-bearing arm toward his Duel Disk. "Here and now, I'll show you what the Dark Signers are capable of! I DRAW!"

He ripped his hand out from his deck at a blinding speed, revealing a glowing black card that burned with the power of darkness.

 **TURN NINE - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1700 LP**

"I activate the Field Spell, _Earthbound Geoglyph!_ " Konami shouted, throwing the glowing card upon his Duel Disk.

A wave of purple flames erupted from the parking lot following his declaration. They tore through the concrete with ease, drawing intricate and burning designs upon its surface in the shape of a large condor - the same condor that burned upon Konami's Mark of the Shadows.

Jack's eyes went wide with shock and fury. Instantly, his mind raced back to the place where he dueled Mikage; to the burning field upon which he'd killed her!

"Not so fast, Konami!" he shouted, hand flying out to stop the man in his tracks. "You've forgotten about my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss' effect! Once per turn, I can negate a face-up card until the End Phase, which means this new field spell of yours is about to simmer down!"

Abyss roared angrily as it attempted to activate its effect, showering the field with rippling waves of sonic power. Unfortunately, they only seemed to hasten the completion of the Earthbound Geoglyph, prompting Konami to laugh dangerously.

"Sorry Jack, but the only one who's about to simmer down is you, because my field spell has an effect of its own!"

"What?!" Jack shouted.

"While there's a Level Ten or higher monster on the field," Konami explained, "my Earthbound Geoglyph can neither be targeted or destroyed by our card effects!"

"What?!" Jack shouted, affronted. "But I've already activated my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane's effect!"

"Not my problem," Konami told him. "The only reason you can't negate my Earthbound Geoglyph is because of your very own monsters, after all. Rather ironic now that I think about it, don't you agree?"

Jack grimaced, tightening his fist as he drank in Konami's words.

"Fine then," he said after a moment. "Even if I can't negate your Earthbound Geoglyph, I can still resolve Abyss' effect by negating your Gemini Ablation until the End Phase!"

Konami's face-up Trap Card lost its color once more as Abyss' roar echoed through the field, signalling the loss of its abilities.

"You might have your new Field Spell up and running," Jack then said, "but that still doesn't change the fact that I have three monsters on the field more than capable of overpowering anything you summon up!"

"Oh, but that's about to change," Konami told him, "especially once I play this card. And thanks to you already wasting your Abyss' effect trying to negate my Earthbound Geoglyph, I don't have to worry about you stopping it! I cast _Autonomous Action Unit!_ "

He played the last card in his hand eagerly, watching it's hologram appear beside his Gemini Ablation with a grin.

"Autonomous Action Unit?" Jack asked, "I never heard of that card before!"

"Well, after this you'll never forget it!" Konami said with a laugh. "See, Autonomous Action Unit lets me Special Summon a monster from your Graveyard by paying fifteen hundred Life Points! And I happen to know just which monster I should call forth to really hit you in the gut!" He grinned, throwing his hand forward as his Life Points dropped to announce the arrival of his new servant. "Come forth, my chosen card _!_ "

Jack cried out in shock as the declared card shot out from his Duel Disk's Graveyard Zone, shooting across the field like a bullet toward Konami. The capped Duelist smirked as he caught it between his fingertips, then placed it face-up on his Duel Disk directly beside Wyrm.

"I summon... _Fortune Lady Past!_ "

The hooded Spellcaster laughed upon emerging from the shadows behind Konami, her regalia flowing in the wind as she took her rightful place by his side. As the shimmering lights that accompanied her arrival faded away, she swung her magical staff in a wide arc, then fixed Jack with a cold and mocking smile.

 **KONAMI - 200 LP**

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV1 - DARK - Spellcaster - (200/200)_

"Sorry Jack," Konami said with a smug smile, "but now I've got your woman!"

Akiza frowned, not at all liking the jokes Konami was making nor the tone he used. "You picked that card, but why?"

"Why not?" Konami replied. "You all seem to have no problem cheering Jack on as he goes on and on about his relationship with Carly, but in case you've all forgotten, I have a bond with her as well! We've been through a lot together. Not only during the battle against the Dark Signers, but in the time we spent hunting scoops before the Fortune Cup as well! You might think of her as your partner or someone you have to protect _now_ , Jack..." Konami growled, "...but don't you ever forget that she was _my_ partner first!"

"So you summoned her just to prove a point? That's pretty low, Konami!" Crow threw in angrily, "Even for you!"

"And it's about to get even lower," Konami revealed, "because now I'm activating her special effect!"

"Tch...!" Jack grunted, his fists clenching even tighter as Fortune Lady Past pointed her staff high into the air.

"Thanks to you explaining her effect so nicely earlier," Konami said, "I know that Fortune Lady Past here can banish any number of Spellcasters from my hand, field, or Graveyard to raise or lower the Level of a "Fortune Lady" monster on the field! With that in mind, I'll banish the Crusader of Endymion in my Graveyard so I can use Fortune Lady Past's effect on herself!"

A golden light filled Fortune Lady Past's staff as Konami paid the cost, filling the parking lot with its gentle glow.

"Using her effect now will make her Level Two, so combined with the First of the Dragon's Level Nine, that means Konami will be able to Synchro Summon a Level Eleven monster!" Crow explained.

"No," Konami corrected, "It won't be Level Eleven!"

"What?" Akiza asked. "But didn't you say that you were using Past's effect on herself?"

"Yes, but I don't remember saying anything about _raising_ her Level," Konami told them. "On the contrary, I'm decreasing it!"

Stunned expressions crossed the faces of all those who heard his words.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Jack shouted. "Fortune Lady Past is already Level One! You can't make a Tuner monster Level Zero!"

"You're right, I can't." Konami agreed, "Which is why when her Level is decreased by her own effect, she becomes a Denizen of the Minus Realm, with a Negative Level!"

Stunned, Fortune Lady Past screamed as the golden light emanating from her staff suddenly turned pitch-black, releasing a wave of miasma similar to that of Konami's Mark of the Shadows. Before she could do anything to try and escape it, it collapsed onto her, dying her skin black with evil and corrupting the nature of her very soul. The orange rim of her clothes gave way to a dark red color, and the glowing symbol of the Fortune Ladies vanished from her hood, replaced by the dark purple glow of Konami's Condor mark. Her change complete, new Fortune Lady Past laughed gleefully, ready to join her partner in the fight against the Signers.

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV(-1) - DARK - Spellcaster - ((-200)/(-200))_

"Impossible," Akiza gasped, suddenly realizing what Konami had done. "He's turned Jack's monster into a Dark Tuner!"

"Yes, and I have to say, the new look suits her!" Konami said snidely. "In fact, I'd go so far as to say this is exactly how she was meant to be used! After all, why would she be dressed in the garb of a Dark Signer...if she didn't want to be used by one?"

The Fortune Lady laughed coyly as if agreeing with him.

Jack growled at the pair, knowing that Konami's words were only being used to rile him up. He wanted to let him know exactly what he thought about that, but before he could state any complaints, Konami swung his hand forward to continue his combo.

"Now, with this new Dark Tuner of mine, I have everything I need to call forth the power of the Earthbound Immortals!" he declared. "I'm taking my Level Nine Wyrm, First of the Dragons, and _Dark Tuning_ him with Fortune Lady Past!"

"Dark Tuning?!" Yusei shouted, "He's going for a Dark Synchro?"

"But even if she's become a Dark Tuner, Fortune Lady Past only has a Level of Negative One! If Konami's tuning her with Wyrm, a Level Nine monster, that means he's only to going to be able to summon a regular Level Eight!" Crow shouted.

"But regular Synchro Monsters can't be summoned with Dark Tuners!" Akiza protested.

"When it comes to the world of dueling," Konami shouted, " _nothing is impossible!_ Now go, my minions! Let shadows be devoured by even darker shadows, and reveal the world without light!"

Fortune Lady Past laughed cruelly as she suddenly vanished, transforming into a single black orb that flew into Konami's great dragon. Wyrm snarled in pain as the sphere entered its chest, growling angrily at being used in such a way before exploding into a shower of tiny golden shards. Nine small white sphere emerged from the falling remains, and they hovered around the single black sphere that Past had become. Moving rapidly, they then began to reverse the evolution of man, colliding together in a wave of black, nightmarish light.

 _"Forgotten gods vanish into the void unseen!"_ Konami chanted, raising his hand to the sky as the stream of darkness covered the sun, engulfing the parking lot in shadow. _"Become the seal their rage dwells upon!"_

From the gaping hole that had covered the sun, a pair of gleaming red eyes suddenly emerged, shooting forth among a body of endless black smoke. It shot a jagged path through the sky and then slammed down upon the field in front of Konami, destroying the concrete it touched in wave of destruction. From the chaos, a pair of a shadowy black wings emerged, spreading outward to reveal the smoky silhouette of a familiar Xyz Monster.

 _"Dark Synchro!"_ Konami shouted as the monster took flight, revealing the entirety of its draconic shape. _"Earthbound Immortal - Rasca Dark!"_

The dark dragon roared as Konami declared its name, sending tremors through the shadowed parking lot as the Signers watched on in disbelief.

 _Earthbound Immortal Rasca Dark - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3000/2500)_

"He's summoned an Earthbound Immortal..." Yusei breathed, "...and he did it without sacrificing a single person's soul. What will you do now, Jack?"

"My Earthbound Geoglyph's effect activates!" Konami said, proceeding with another combo immediately. "Since I've Synchro Summoned a monster, I get to add one Spell or Trap that uses the term "Earthbound Immortal" to my hand! I add this," he said, shifting through his Deck and revealing a single purple card, " _Roar of the Earthbound!_ "

"Of course, his arm starts glowing and now he's got a bunch of new cards...!" Jack grunted. "Well, at least I know you're taking this Duel of ours seriously!"

"And I'm about to get even more serious, because now I'm activating the effect of my Gemini Ablation!" Konami continued.

"Hold it!" Jack shouted, "In case you've forgotten, I already negated the effect of your Trap with my Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss! Until the End Phase, that card's effects can't be used!"

"Actually," Konami corrected, "they can, because I'm using the effect of my Rasca Dark Dragon! Once per turn, I can send one card I control to the Graveyard and then Set a Spell or Trap from my Deck. Then, I can activate that card the same turn it was set! So I'll go ahead and tribute the Gemini Ablation that your Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss negated...and then Set a new Gemini Ablation that I'll activate right now!"

"What?!" Jack gasped, staggering backward as Rasca Dark suddenly loosed a terrifying screech, shattering the grayed out Trap Card only for a new, colorful version to suddenly take its place.

"Now, if you're done interrupting," Konami spat, "I was saying that once per turn, Gemini Ablation lets me discard one card from my hand to Special Summon a Gemini Monster from my Deck in its Gemini State! I'll discard my newly added Roar of the Earthbound to bring out a dear friend of mine... _Dark Valkyria!_ "

The silver-haired valkyrie scowled as she materialized beside the smoky form of Rasca Dark, glaring at the three dragons while wondering which would make for the finest opponent.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)_

"Dark Valkyria's effect activates!" Konami said next, "Once, I can add one Spell Counter to her, increasing her Attack Points by three hundred!"

Dark Valkyria growled softly as a crimson aura began to surround her, imbuing her with the strength to destroy any single foe.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (2100/1050)_

"Of course, don't think her power-up will be sticking around for long, because now I'm activating her other effect." added Konami, "When she has a Spell Counter, I can remove it to destroy one monster on the Field!"

"What did you just say?!" Jack asked, his eyes widening as he realized what was about to happen.

"I remove Dark Valkyria's Spell Counter to destroy that pesky Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss!" Konami declared, prompting a rare smile to cross Dark Valkyria's face as she lunged forward.

"Take this!" she snarled, using her wings to cross the burning parking lot and shoot a single sphere of destructive red energy at Jack's evolved Red Dragon Archfiend.

Abyss roared back in response, using its two great cleavers to try and deflect the blow, but that was precisely what Dark Valkyria wanted it to do! Distracted, it never noticed the valkyrie swooping in from behind it, ramming it through the back with an energy-infused fist. Caught of guard, Abyss' eyes widened, and the wound inflicted upon it proved fatal, spreading from the point of contact across its entire body, shattering it into an explosive fury of golden light.

"...gh!" Jack grunted, skidding backward as the force of the explosion knocked him back, "To think that my Red Dragon Archfiend's evolution would be defeated by such a weak monster...!"

"Didn't like that did you?" Konami asked, "Well, there's more where that came from! I activate my Rasca Dark's second effect!"

"What's this now...?" Jack growled furiously.

"Once per turn, I can banish one card I control to Special Summon one of my banished monsters from the Graveyard!" Konami explained. "I banish my Gemini Ablation Trap Card...and bring back the Crusader of Endymion I banished with Fortune Lady Past's effect!"

The helmed warrior yelled triumphantly as he emerged on the field, then slammed his fists together eagerly upon seeing the state of the field. Dark Valkyria locked eyes with him briefly, then clucked her tongue in annoyance and turned back to face the remaining Red Dragon Archfiends.

 _Crusader of Endymion - LV4 - LIGHT - Spellcaster - (1900/1200)_

"What's the big idea?" Jack asked, "You might have Special Summoned that monster, but it doesn't have any decent Attack Points!"

"Yeah, but like my Dark Valkyria, it's a Gemini Monster, and in case you haven't noticed, I've yet to use my Normal Summon this turn!" Konami stated.

"He's right," Akiza said, "So that must mean this Crusader of his has a decent effect!"

"I Gemini Summon my Crusader of Endymion!" Konami shouted, releasing a golden wave of light around the Crusader that unlocked its special abilities.

"Oh yeah!" the Spellcaster roared, punching his fists forward rapidly in preparation for what was to come.

"Now for his effect," he continued. "Once per Turn, Crusader can attach one Spell Counter to a monster that can hold them, and I think you know what that means - Dark Valkyria gets another boost!"

The crimson aura emerged from Dark Valkyria's form once again, increasing her overall power and giving her the gift of destruction.

"...tch!" Jack cursed.

"Go, Dark Valkyria!" Konami shouted, "I remove another Spell Counter to let you destroy Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Bane!"

"I'm on it!" the woman shouted, flying forward once more and engulfing herself in crimson light. Transforming into a surging force of unstoppable power, she pierced through the dragon's chest and emerged from its back unscathed, obliterating the second Red Dragon Archfiend in a blow of devastating precision.

"...gaaaah!" snarled Jack, forced to shield his eyes once more as the second of his dragons was beaten by a mere Level Four.

"Now it's time we wrap this up," Konami muttered. "Once again, it's time for a little Xyz Summoning! I use my Level Four Dark Valkyria and Level Four Crusader of Endymion to build the Overlay Network!"

The two monsters shattered into golden light as Konami spoke, vanishing into the stars above and creating a portal through which otherworldly beings could appear. Konami stared at the waiting portal for but a moment, then began the chant that he'd come to use so frequently.

 _"Despairing black matter, come sealed unto here! Let loose the flames of hate, and give rise to a new day!"_

A blinding light erupted from the starry portal, following the crooked path they'd all seen once before. It then crashed upon the field, shattering into a pair of byzantium wings that spread outward to reveal Konami's ace monster.

 _"Xyz Summon!"_ Konami declared. _"Rasca Dawn Dragon!"_

The dragon roared triumphantly, pleased upon realizing it had returned to the field.

 _Rasca Dawn Dragon - Rank 4 - DARK - Dragon - (2500/2000)_

"So, it's over." Akiza noted, "All Konami has to do now is use Rasca Dawn Dragon's effect, and he'll be able to destroy Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend and inflict thirty five hundred points of damage to Jack!"

"Damn it...!" Crow cursed, "Jack was so close...! Just a little more and he could've won!"

"Do you see now?" Konami asked him. "This is the power of the Dark Signers! You simply can't compare."

"Damn you, Konami...!" Jack grunted, staggering. "You think this changes anything? If my current strength isn't enough...then I'll just have to find strength that goes beyond even that!"

"Maybe you'll do just that," Konami replied. "Maybe you'll find a power that goes beyond even that of what I now possess. But that doesn't change the fact that right now, you're still far too weak! Go, Rasca Dawn Dragon!" Konami shouted, detaching Dark Valkyria to activate his monster's effect. "Destroy Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend, and win me this Duel! _Destiny Flare!_ "

Rasca Dawn roared as it absorbed the soul of Dark Valkryia, fillings its body with her crimson strength. It then flapped its wings to take to the skies, gaping its jaws while charging the wave that would end it all. The dark red light of the Immortals began to gather from the tip of its tail, coursing down its spines and glowing brighter and brighter until finally, it reached the peak of its strength.

With a terrible screech, Rasca Dawn vomited the energy in a concentrated beam, blowing through Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend and shattering the void of darkness that Rasca Dark had called forth.

The final Red Dragon screamed as the beam made contact, vanishing inside the flaming explosion that followed. The parking lot trembled under the weight of its power, which blew away the flames of the Earthbound Geoglyph and threw Jack backward and off his feet.

"Gua...GWAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" He roared out as he fell, his body also vanishing in the wave of light as Rasca Dawn's effect took hold. Unable to counter, unable to strike back, Jack let go, and the last of his Life Points fell.

 **KONAMI - 200 LP  
JACK - 0 LP**

The Duel was over.

Amongst the smoking remains of the parking lot, the remaining holograms of Rasca Dawn and Rasca Dark began to fade, returning the world to its regular clear sky, even as Jack remained on the ground unconscious.

Konami stood across from him unmoving, staring at Jack determinedly even as the Mark of the Shadows faded from his arm. He had won the Duel, yes, but despite his words, it had been close. If it hadn't been for the sudden power of the Earthbounds aiding him...

 _'No,'_ Konami thought, _'No matter how things could have ended, all that matters is that I came out the victor. With this, I can finally proceed as planned. But before that...'_

He walked over to Jack, glancing over the scattered cards that laid around him.

"I'll be taking Fortune Lady Past," he told the man, grabbing the card from the pile and sliding it in his holster. "And don't worry, I'll be sure to tell Carly how useful it was once she's rejoined me as a Dark Signer."

Jack, of course, said nothing. While his soul was secure, the force of the final attack had simply been too much for him. He'd probably be fine after a while, though Konami didn't want to be there when the man woke up.

""Jack!""

Sensing the approach of the other Signers, Konami quickly turned to leave, not wanting to deal with any drama born from his recent actions.

"Konami, wait." Yusei told him. "Are you sure about this?"

Konami paused as he reached his Duel Runner, turning his head ever so slightly to face Yusei's own.

"Yeah," he said. "But despite what I said to rile Jack up, I don't think of you guys as useless. You should do your best too, Yusei. After all, if Jack was capable of this much...just think of what you can accomplish yourself."

And with those words, he climbed aboard his ride and drove off, never knowing when he'd see them again.

* * *

 _ **Chapter Five - END**_

* * *

 _"This is the last straw Carly, you're fired!"_

 _Recalling none of her battles as a Dark Signer, Carly has returned to her life of scoops and deadlines. After failing to interview a WTGP sponsor, her boss fires her, forcing her back onto the streets. She thinks she's hit rock bottom, but Konami then approaches her, bearing a gift from Jack..._

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Past to Present! The Hummingbird Sings!**_

 _"Today my Fortune is...Chee?! Oh no!"_

* * *

 _ **Earthbound Immortal Rasca Dark - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3000/2500)  
1 Dark Tuner + 1 non-Tuner Monster**_

 _ **There can only be 1 "Earthbound Immortal" monster on the field. If there is no face-up Field Spell on the field, destroy this card. You can destroy 1 card you control; Set 1 Spell/Trap from your Deck, and if you do, you can activate it this turn. You can banish 1 card you control; Special Summon 1 of your banished monsters in Defense Position. You can only use each effect of "Earthbound Immortal Rasca Dark" once per turn.**_

 _ **Read & Review!**_


	6. Past to Present! The Hummingbird Sings!

_**"GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"**_

 _It was over._

 _Despite the tremendous power Jack had shown, despite the interference of the Crimson Dragon itself, it was Konami - Dark Signer of the Condor - who emerged victorious._

 _He stood upon the charred concrete unmoving, his eyes still locked with those of New Domino's falling King._

 _"""Jack!"""_

 _Maybe it was the suddenness of their shouts. Maybe it was the last spark of his dwindling flame. Whatever the reason, Jack's footing suddenly adjusted, keeping him upright even as his body reached the edge of its limits. His swimming vision cleared for a single moment, and in that instant, he threw it._

 _A single card._

 _It sliced through the air like a knife, glowing in the sunlight while cleaving a path directly to Jack's victorious foe._

 _Konami snatched it out of the air with ease._

 _"This card is...?"_

 _Fortune Lady Past._

 _The card that was not only used by Jack to display his newfound power, but was taken from him by Konami during the final Turn, costing Jack the Duel. For someone like Jack, who was the very epitome of pride and strength in one's self, to give up one of his cards so easily, no matter the role it played in his defeat was..._

 _"Why?" Konami asked him. "Why are you giving me this?"_

 _"Don't mock me," Jack grunted, the exhaustion in his voice making it clear he wouldn't last a minute longer. "I might not exactly agree with what you're doing, but I'm a man of my word! That card was drawn with the power of the Crimson Dragon itself. The fact that it can even become something like a Dark Tuner with its own effect makes it clear exactly what the damned Dragon thinks about all this."_

 _Konami turned his gaze to the card, thinking over Jack's words. He did have to admit, it was rather strange that the presider of the battle_ against _the Dark Signers would give Jack a card that could used to perform the Dark Synchro - a technique used primarily_ by _them._

 _"Take her," Jack continued weakly. "Use her to remind Carly of her former self, if you must. Just, mark my words, Konami...! If anything happens to her, or anyone else because of this, know that I'll..."_

 _Konami never found out what Jack would do, because at that moment, the last of the blonde's energy left him._

 _He crumpled to the ground, unconscious._

 _"""Jack!""" the other Signers shouted once more, rushing out to help the fallen man._

 _"He's only unconscious," Yusei noted upon kneeling down by him. "He'll be fine with some rest."_

 _"Still," Akiza grimaced, turning to glare at Konami, "did you have to be so rough with him? Any worse and you might have actually hurt him!"_

 _Konami frowned at her, "Are you suggesting that I should have held back against the former King of New Domino? Any less than what I did, and I would be the one on the ground."_

 _"Even so-!"_

 _"I got what I came for." Konami muttered, unwilling to hear even a single complaint from the famed Black Rose Witch. He spun on his heel, turning his back to Jack and the other Signers as he began walking back to his Duel Runner._

 _"So that's it, huh?" Crow asked, "You beat Jack down and now you're walking away?"_

 _"What? Am I supposed to take you all on in some kind of gauntlet?" Konami asked. "Sorry, but I don't have time for a Boss Rush right now. Even if I did, do you really think I'd agree to such a thing? I mean, four against one isn't exactly fair, is it?"_

 _"Hang on-"_

 _"That's enough. Let him go, Crow." Yusei said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder, "He won his duel with Jack, fair and square."_

 _"At least someone here gets it," Konami said._

 _He climbed aboard his Duel Runner, pulled his helmet hard onto his head, then revved the engine furiously._

 _"You lot should take a page from Jack," he told them after doing so. "Especially you, Yusei. After all, if Jack was able to become this strong in such a short while, just think of what you could accomplish."_

 _He locked eyes with Yusei, their thoughts burning against one another. After a moment, Konami broke his gaze, then turned to face the waiting road ahead._

 _"I'll let you know when I've finished up with Carly," he said. "With any luck, the two of us will then be able to get Mikage, and be on our way to recruit Misty and Kalin in no time."_

 _"Alright," Yusei acquiesced, "Let us know if you need any help."_

 _"Thanks," Konami said gratefully. "I'll be sure to do just that."_

 _But he wouldn't, because no matter how much the Signers wanted to help, Konami couldn't help but feel their part in this had come and gone. Not in regards to the fight as a whole, mind you; though they failed in the other future, there was no telling if this change of events would lead to a domino effect. Hell, it was very possible that Jack's defeat here would push him to even greater heights...ones that even Konami could not match._

 _But that remained to be seen._

 _Right now, all that mattered was the recruitment of the chosen Dark Signers, and in that-_

 _Well, they made it clear what they thought of his decision. Regardless, for now, all the obstacles had been cleared. At last, he was free to do as he pleased, which meant..._

 _It was the perfect time to see Carly._

 _Glancing one last time at the Signers and Crow, Konami roared his Duel Runner to life. Its noisy engine ripped and snarled as the wheels spun smoke off the charred concrete, and then, he was gone; shooting down the road to the city, away from the light of the Dragon's servants._

 _The fate of the world depended on him, so no matter what happened, he had to ensure it..._

 _The possibility that Carly Carmine would join his team._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Six**_

* * *

 _ **Past to Present! The Hummingbird Sings!**_

* * *

 _"Achoo!"_ Carly sneezed, earning a grunt from the man sitting across from her.

"Bless you," he growled, wiping his face free of her flying mucus with a sleeve of tissue paper.

"Ah! Sorry, Mr. Pitts," Carly apologized, a bead of sweat rolling down her face. "Someone must've been talking about me. Uh, so what were you saying again?"

"Darn it, Carly!" Mr. Pitts growled, smashing his fist against the desk, "I'm trying to keep you in the loop here! The least you can do is pay attention."

"Eek!"

"Lazar Yaeger is holding a press reveal of Combat Lane to certain members of the media! We've actually gone and gotten invited properly for once, so I was gonna send a guy or two down there to check things out."

"Yes, right! Combat Lane," Carly noted, adjusting her glasses thoroughly, "that's where they're going to hold that upcoming Tag Tournament right?"

"Exactly, but more importantly, it's where the finals for the upcoming World Racing Grand Prix will be held too! All kinds of sponsors will be there to answer our questions, so I want you to go in and find me a story!"

"Huh? Me?! But what about my lost memories case? I haven't even begun to scratch the surface with it yet!"

"Scrap it! It's been nearly a year since all that happened, nobody really cares anymore!" Mr. Pitts replied. "What we want now is gossip! Not just on Combat Lane, but the upcoming tournaments as well! I don't wanna hear you bring up a single word about those old cases, got it?!"

"Y-Yes boss," Carly sighed.

"Good! Now the press reveal is scheduled to start at one. It's about eleven now, so I'd say you better go on and get down there so you won't be late! Last thing we need is you missing out on another scoop because you slept in again! And don't you even think about screwing this up! You mess around with this one, and you're toast, you got that?!"

"Right..."

"What? You're still here?! I thought I told you to get going?!"

Pressured by his forceful shout, Carly ran out of Mr. Pitts' office at top speed.

"Sheesh," she said, "you think he could afford to loosen up a little. Still, this is my chance! If Lazar's the one doing the press reveal, then maybe I can pressure him into giving something up about Director Goodwin! All I have to do is get in close enough to interview him, and then it's game on!"

She walked out of the lobby, climbed into her van, then turned on her local GPS.

"Let's see..." she murmured, studying the streets and icons that popped up on the display, "based on this, Combat Lane is about forty five minutes from here. That means if I leave now, I should have more than enough time to swoop in and get a good spot!"

The sudden buzzing of her cellphone interrupted her monologue, and she glanced down at the device to see what was up.

She'd gotten a text message.

 _'It's from Konami,'_ she thought, staring at the tiny hat-wearing emoji she'd used to mark his contact data. _'Oh right, he was back in the city, wasn't he? What's this? He wants to have lunch?'_

 _\- Sorry -_ she typed back, - _I'm a little busy with work right now. -_

There was a moment of silence, then her phone buzzed again. She glanced down to see his response.

 _\- brought a gift from Jack -_

Huh?

Huh?!

HUH?!

"From Jack?!" Carly screamed, the text blowing away any sense of urgency or responsibility she'd been feeling.

 _\- Where do you want to meet? -_ she texted furiously.

Another pause.

 _\- Let's do WcDonald's -_

"WcDonald's, he says," Carly muttered, "As if there aren't a hundred of them in the city!"

Konami must have just thought the same thing, because not a moment later her cellphone buzzed again.

 _\- Corner of 2nd and Puzzle. -_

 _\- Be right there -_ Carly sent back, and she would. The Daily Duel headquarters was just two streets east of Puzzle Drive, after which it would be a straight shot to the WcDonald's on 2nd Street. Knowing that, Carly wasted no time in shutting the phone shut before slamming the key into the ignition.

Reveal or no reveal, there was nothing that would stop her from getting that gift from Jack!

"Looks like it's my lucky day!" she said eagerly. "Pitts might've been a little loud earlier, but I won where it matters! Oh Jack, I knew you cared about me!"

The only question was why _his_ gift coming by way of Konami? Was Jack simply too shy to give it to her himself? Well, whatever the reason, Carly would find out soon enough! Turning the key, Carly started her van in a hurry and pulled out into the road.

Several cars behind her honked at the sudden maneuver, no doubt furious that her reckless driving had almost caused an accident. Still, Carly paid them no mind. Her thoughts were far too focused on Jack's gift.

Just what had he gotten her?

A new camera?

An apartment lease in their name?

Or maybe even...a ring?!

Carly giggled as she thought of herself in a bridal gown, exchanging vows with Jack before an honest-to-god priest. She then proceeded to close her eyes, pucking her lips and imagining the sensation of Jack's on hers, only for the honk of another vehicle to bring her crashing back down to reality.

"Uwah! Look out!"

She swerved to the left violently to avoid hitting the rear of the taxi before her, and as a result was almost hit by the moving truck changing lanes in oncoming traffic. She immediately spun her steering wheel to the right, bringing her van back into the proper lane as a series of honks and loud "Asshole!" shouts filled the air.

 _'Okay, Carly...'_ she thought, breathing heavily as her mild panic faded, _'...maybe save the kissing for the actual wedding!'_

With her mind back on the road, she successfully made the turn onto Puzzle Drive, followed its winding paths amongst crazy lunchtime traffic, then proceeded to parallel park between two fancy white cars next to the curb on 2nd. The WcDonald's sat patiently beside her, filling the air with the sound of various conversations and screaming children; a chaotic noise that one often found in fast food restaurants like WcD's.

Konami was already waiting for her as she stepped inside, his crimson red clothes immediately pointing him out to her as she scanned the waiting area. He was seated all the way in the back, of course, sipping some kind of caffeinated drink he'd no doubt ordered from the WcDonald's fountain. It looked like a particularly dark fluid from where she was standing...

A Dr. Sizzle, perhaps? Or a Loca Lola?

Deciding it didn't really matter, she quickly moved to join him. Crossing the space between them was easy enough, even with the various customers waiting in line to order. She excused herself between each person she passed, smiling gently and apologetically whenever she bumped into someone a little too roughly. Before long, she'd reached the dining lounge, and made her way over to Konami's table.

It was only when she'd finally gotten next to him that she noticed he must have been having a rough day. His clothes smelled of smoke and debris, and the crimson red jacket he wore had been stained silly with soot and dust. The side of his pants' leg seemed to have ripped slightly, as well, and there were a few small scrapes on his hands.

Had he gotten into a brawl or something? Carly's job demanded she find out.

"What happened to you?" she asked, setting her purse to the side as she took a seat across from him.

"Won a duel with a friend," he replied easily enough, taking a sip of his drink. "Obviously. You?"

Carly blinked in surprised at being asked, though she supposed she must have looked at least frazzled, considering all the chaos she'd narrowly avoided on her way there.

"Traffic."

"Ah," Konami said, reaching into his bag of food and pulling out a wrapped burger. "Want a Big Wac? Nothing like food to drive the road rage away."

"No thanks," Carly declined. "Comfort food makes you fat."

"Only if you don't know how to moderate," Konami shrugged, unwrapping the big, fat, burger and taking a bite out of it for himself.

"WcDonald's is not moderation," Carly muttered. "What made you choose here anyway? I never took you for a burger kind of guy."

"I ran across an old pal of mine on my way to meet with you," Konami explained briefly, shoving the food in his mouth. "He _is_ a burger kind of guy."

"An old friend huh? Who exactly-" she paused, wrinkling her nose in disgust as she watched how quickly Konami devoured the food. "Uh," she said instead, "you said Jack had something for me?"

"Yeah," he told her between bites, "but before that, let's catch up a little. It's been a while, hasn't it? What've you been up to? Y'know, besides the whole 'stalking Jack' thing?"

Carly winced at how bluntly he put it.

"I'm not stalking him! And I've been working." She said nonetheless, "Trying to, at least. Lately, it seems like none of my investigations have been panning out! I tried to write an article about Director Goodwin's disappearance and why the announcement of a new full-time Director is taking so long, but..."

"Lazar and Sector Security have been holding back on ya, huh?" Konami figured, finishing his Big Wac and cleaning up the mess. "Doesn't surprise me, you can never trust a clown. I bet he's got all kinds of stuff he's been hiding."

"Yeah," Carly agreed, "but no matter what I do, I can't ever seem to catch a break! Even when I do, it always leads to a dead end, because somehow, everybody in the city is missing their memories of the events that occurred following the Fortune Cup all those months ago!"

"Everyone, huh?" Konami asked blandly.

"Yeah, even I'm missing some of my memories from that time, but somehow, it doesn't feel strange at all! I mean, isn't that weird? You'd think people would be a little more curious or worried about an entire period of their lives suddenly going missing!"

"Yeah," Konami agreed. "What about Jack and the others? Have you gone to them about any of this?"

"Well, not yet," Carly admitted. "I was going to, but lately it seems like Jack's been avoiding me for some reason. It's why I was so surprised when I heard you brought a gift for me from him! He must have just been shy about his feelings!"

Konami frowned.

"Actually," he told her, "that's not it. That's not it at all. The truth is..." he paused, taking a deep breath, "Jack's been keeping something from you, Carly. We all have. The truth about what happened during those days, as well as why Director Goodwin is no longer around."

"Huh?"

"Tell me, after the Fortune Cup, what's the last thing you remember?"

"Um...Mr. Pitts had sent me to go do some investigating...so after ditching Angela, the reporter I had been forced to team up with for the investigation," she explained when Konami tilted his head, "I wound up meeting Jack at the hospital."

"Is that all?" Konami asked.

"No... It gets a little fuzzy, but I still remember a little bit more than that. Jack and I spent time together and grew close...but then something happened and I had to go...to the Arcadia Movement, I think? The last thing I remember before it all goes blank is waiting for night to fall, and watching some strange news channel talking about the Nazca Lines disappearing!"

"And that's all you remember? A news station talking about the Nazca Lines?"

"Yeah," Carly said with a frown. "After that, the next thing I remember is waking up on a boat and hearing about how you guys won a tournament overseas!"

"The Transcender Tournament," Konami realized, nodding his head.

"After that, I went back to work like usual, only to find out a good deal of time had passed and nobody knew where I'd gone or what I'd been doing! Nearly lost my job over that one, but after a few minutes of yelling I was A-OK! But what's this? You're saying Jack knew what happened and didn't tell me?"

"Not just Jack," Konami said, not wanting her to feel like it was just the ex-King who had been keeping secrets from her. "Yusei, Akiza, Crow, and the twins...they all know what happened during the time you've lost, and...so do I. I'm sure Lazar probably knows some of it too, but that's beside the point. What matters now isn't who knew what, but rather, whether or not you can remember it too. So tell me, Carly...does the term 'Dark Signer' mean anything to you?"

"Dark Signer?" Carly asked, "What's that? Some kind of heavy metal band?"

"The Dark Signers were a group cultists who sought to destroy this world and remake it in their image." Konami explained.

"So that's a yes, then?"

Konami ignored her, "In order to do so, they wielded cards of great and terrible power - the Earthbound Immortals. Each of the Immortals belonged to one of the Nazca Lines, which is why you must have seen that news report about them disappearing. Around the time of your investigation at the Arcadia Movement, the Dark Signers were starting to grow more active, recruiting members for their coming battle with the Servants of the Crimson Dragon."

"Wait, hold on-" Carly started, but Konami didn't stop.

"To become a member, you had to be chosen by one of the Immortals themselves, or turned into a Shadow Drone - that's what they called their mindless puppets - by a Dark Signer who had already awoken. After becoming either, your heart would be stained with darkness, and you would do everything in your power to bring about the fall of this world."

"You finally taking a breather? I hope so, because from what I've heard so far, this all sounds pretty far-fetched," Carly claimed, not quite believing any of it. "But let's say I believe you. What does this have to do with me? Or everyone's missing memories? Or, and here's the important one, the missing Director Goodwin?!"

A couple of heads looked over, confused. Carly glanced at them, shrugged helplessly, then turned back to Konami after they all resumed their own meals.

"Sorry," she told Konami. "You were saying?"

"Haa...I was saying that Goodwin isn't missing. He was killed by the Dark Signers." Konami said bluntly, the words shocking Carly into silence. "I'm not certain on all the details, but from what I remember, he was dealt with early on, probably to prevent any last minute interference during the war."

"And how do you know any of this?" Carly asked, flummoxed.

"Because, Carly," Konami replied forcefully. "I took part in the War between the Signers and Dark Signers. And, though you might be surprised to hear it, so did you."

"Huh?"

"Your investigation into the Arcadia Movement didn't go the way you'd hoped. Two Dark Signers attacked the night you broke in for answers, and after a few scuffles here and there, they dueled Akiza and I, nearly destroying the building completely. I managed to break you loose from a piece of crumbled stone your leg was trapped under, but before we could escape...one of them marked you. It was Mikage Simington. She had been reborn as a Dark Signer, and stated that it would not be long until you did the same. She transferred her Mark of the Hummingbird onto you, turning her into the Dark Signer of the Whale. After that, she started dueling me, and proceeded to fight me blow for blow until we were interrupted...again."

"Mikage? Not Mikage 'Mina to her friends' Simington?" Carly asked incredulously. "Are you seriously talking about the girl at Sector Security who's always trying to meddle and get between me and Jack?!"

"The very same," Konami said, narrowing his eyes fiercely. "After being reborn as a Dark Signer, that is one aspect of her that didn't change. She didn't necessarily like the fact that you and Jack had grown so close, but for the sake of the war, she marked you as intended anyway."

"Marked me?"

"With a Mark of the Shadows," Konami explained. "I'm sure you've seen the glowing tattoo Jack has? Think of it like that, only instead of glowing red, it glows purple. You were marked with one in the shape of the Hummingbird, the symbol of the Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu. Since you were still alive when it happened, the change didn't occur immediately, but..."

He trailed off for a moment, and Carly noticed him tense as if something was wrong.

"Okay, I'll bite." Carly sighed, "What happened?"

"I messed up." Konami admitted, "After finally ending my rivalry with Akiza, I got caught up in the moment and let you get away from me...! You went back to your apartment to try and find Jack, but Mikage was there waiting for you. The two of you dueled, and...she got the better of you. With your defeat, you awakened to the power of darkness completely, and you fell. You became a Dark Signer...an enemy of humanity who had to be destroyed. I'm sorry."

"See? You say that, but I don't remember any of this!" Carly complained. "Did all this crazy stuff really happen? You're not just making fun of me, are you?"

"No," Konami said, turning his gaze from her. "I know how crazy it sounds, but it's true. You were my partner at the time, but I still let you down. I'm sorry Carly, if it wasn't for me letting you run off so freely, you might not have gotten involved with any of this."

"Uh, hey, it all worked out in the end though, right? I mean, Mikage and I are both around now, so Jack must have saved us, right?"

Konami's frown grew deeper.

"Oh no," Carly breathed, beads of sweat begin to form across her forehead.

"The war began. Signer vs. Dark Signer...Light vs. Dark. A battle years in the making finally erupted in the center of Satellite, and one by one...you and the other Dark Signers fell. Yusei defeated his former colleague in a Speed Duel. The twins, Leo and Luna, battled a low-class minion and came out on top. Akiza settled things with the a victim of the Arcadia Movement. You and Mikage must have flipped a coin to determine who'd fight Jack, because instead of double-teaming him, Jack faced Mikage alone and bested her in a duel. That just left you, and with no Signer left to face, you did the next best thing, and came after me."

"Huh? You? Why would I go after you?"

Konami chuckled, "To warn me, believe it or not. Even as an emissary of evil, you still tried to look out for me. You warned me about a psychic named Sayer and his powerful Earthbound Immortal, Red Nova. You fought me to ensure I wouldn't trade blows with him, stating that if I did the world as I knew would come to an end." Upon remembering that fact, Konami chuckled darkly once more. "I guess in some ways, you were right."

"So...you're saying I fought you in a duel to the death? But, that doesn't make any sense!" Carly complained, "You might not be around all that often, but you're still my friend! I wouldn't go out of my way to hurt you!"

"You didn't exactly have a choice. When you become a Dark Signer, your personality is infected with the will of your Earthbound Immortal. You can overcome it momentarily, if you have the strength of mind to do so, but your personality is already warped by then, filled with anger and hatred for any pain that was inflicted onto you before you died. It's true you're my friend, but you know what they say, 'The ones who hurt you the most are the ones closest to you.' Regardless of the reason, you and I dueled that day...and I defeated you. Killed you."

"Wait, killed me? But I thought beating the bad guy would just turn them back to normal?"

"Not this time," Konami told her. "The Signer War was supposed to be for keeps. The winner went on to fight another day...while the loser was banished to the Shadow Realm, reduced to nothing but ash in the living world. I watched you disintegrate before my very eyes."

"That..." Carly didn't know what to say to that. No matter how detailed Konami's story might have been, it didn't change the fact that she didn't recall any of it! Still, to hear him come to her with something like this... "That must have been hard for you."

"Hmph, I'm the one who should be comforting you," Konami replied. "You're the one who was killed, remember?"

"No, I dont!" Carly complained, "And that's the problem here! Even if you tell me all of this, even if you explain every single detail...how am I supposed to believe any of it?! You don't have any proof, do you? Any photos, or footage of the time all this occurred? And even worse, you're saying you killed me! Well, if that's the case, then how am I even alive right now?! This joke is getting really out of hand!"

A few heads turned to stare at them, and Konami sighed, no doubt realizing that perhaps a place like WcDonald's wasn't the best spot for a talk like this. He turned his head to regard their sudden onlookers, smiling sheepishly as he commented on their conversation.

"Ah..." he told them all, raising a single finger up in the air. "We're just talking about Duel Quest. I might've screwed her over a little bit in the Wilds, heheh..."

It seemed to satisfy most of them, though there were a few "damn gamers," and "frickin' loudmouths" that could be heard as everyone returned to their own meals. Having dodged the bullet, Konami turned back to her, his eyes steely with a determined glint Carly hadn't seen in some time.

"It's not a joke," he said. "I promise. It's just that any proof I might have is locked away in that head of yours. I just need to find the key."

"Yeah, sure..." Carly sighed disbelievingly. "Alright, what happened next then? You say you beat me?"

"Yeah," Konami confirmed with a frown. "After that, I headed for Sayer, only to find him preparing to duel another Dark Signer, Roman Goodwin - Director Goodwin's older brother."

"WHAT?! He had a brother?!"

"Yeah, turns out Director Goodwin had been preparing for the battle a long time. Maybe it had something to do with why the Dark Signers had him finished off. I dunno, I didn't ask."

"You should have!" Carly demanded, "That would've been a great scoop!"

"Except that no one would've remembered it," Konami pointed out.

"...! Oh, right..." Carly sighed, "Continue."

"There was a three way duel. Roman was knocked out first, but not before leaving me with the tools to ensure Sayer's defeat."

"Wait, but I thought you said Sayer had an Earthbound Immortal too? Why was Roman going after him in the first place? Weren't they both on the same side?"

"No," Konami said. "Sayer's Earthbound wasn't chosen; it was taken. He had journeyed to Peru to steal its power for himself, and once he had it, he had no desire to work with the Dark Signers. He had his own plan of world domination in mind...one I kept him from completing by destroying him with my Exodia."

"Exodia? Wait, hang on a second!" Carly shouted, turning from Konami to dig into her purse. She pulled out her phone, then opened up a video file she'd saved to it long ago. "Is this what you're talking about?!"

She pushed the phone into Konami's face and pressed play, prompting a video file to roll of a large golden giant smashing a flaming red figure across the face.

It was Exodius, punching Red Nova in the climax of his duel against Sayer.

"That...is precisely what I'm talking about," Konami said. "Where did you - that exists?"

"It was leaked footage I managed to dig up during my own investigation!" Carly said excitedly. "Mr. Pitts told me to drop it earlier today, but now that I've heard all this from you, there's no way I can! Oooh, I knew Sector Security was hiding something from me! But wait, if this part is real, then are you saying the rest of what you've told me is true too?!"

"Uh, yes?" Konami said, "That's what I've been saying this whole time, isn't it?"

"But - But what?! How?! How did everyone forget about this then?!"

"Who knows?" Konami asked, "Maybe it was the Crimson Dragon's way of solving everything once the battle was won. Maybe Sector Security has more ways of silencing people than we thought. Regardless, after I beat Sayer with Exodius' effect, the day was basically saved. Some other stuff happened, like that Transcender Tournament you heard about after waking up, but that's basically the whole story as it pertains to you."

"So...let me get this straight," Carly said. "You're telling me that after I got caught going inside the Arcadia Movement, I was brainwashed into joining an evil cult that wanted to destroy the world. Jack was one of the people who was trying to stop us, which is why he was avoiding me after everything was said and done?"

"You didn't remember anything, so he wanted to keep you out of it." Konami said. "He was trying to protect you."

"Protect me?" Carly said with a blush, she cupped her cheeks, swaying in her seat ever so softly, "Oh, Jack...I knew he cared! But wait a minute, buster! If that's the case, then why are you telling me all of this now?! Don't you have any respect for Jack's decision?!"

" _That's_ what you're mad about?" Konami sputtered.

"Well, I mean, yes! Shut up!" Carly mumbled.

"The reason I'm telling you now is because I need your help, Carly. No, not your help. Rather, that of the Dark Signer that may still dwell within you. Something big is coming, and if we're not prepared to face it...this world is doomed."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I've recently learned that a threat I've been looking out for is closer than I thought." Konami explained. "Lazar and Sector Security already know about it. They're called the Vylon. They're a powerful race of Duel Monster Spirits who travel from world to world, leaving ruin in their wake. Due to some...recent...events, I've learned that their leader is a woman named E'Rah, who'll show up during the climax of the WRGP. She'll challenge the winners of the event to a duel, and if they lose...she'll take the world as payment."

"Sounds edgy." Carly mumbled. "Wait, assuming this is true, why are you coming to me with this?! Why not Jack, or Yusei, or...anyone else?! I mean, there have got to be way better Duelists out there than me! I'm just a reporter! I can't fight for the sake of humanity!"

"You underestimate yourself," Konami pressed. "And just so you know, I have gone to Yusei and the others about this! Unfortunately, from what I've seen so far, they might not be enough. I need options, which is why I'm coming to you. You might not remember right now, but you gave me one hell of a fight back when you were a Dark Signer. Your Fortune Ladies monsters grew more powerful with each turn, and that could make them extraordinarily useful in a group tournament like the Grand Prix's!"

"Hang on, how do you know about my Fortune Ladies?" Carly asked, dripping with sweat. "I don't remember telling anyone about them!"

"I know because I was there when you got them." Konami muttered. "I know that they used to be your Fortune Fairies. You used to draw them to figure out what sort of fortune you'd have for the day, right? But after you became a Dark Signer, the dark energy that fueled you transformed them into more powerful versions of themselves. Assuming you still have them, that must mean that some of that energy still resides within you, just waiting to be unleashed! So come on, let's do this thing! Form a team with me for the WRGP!"

"H-Hang on, let's not be too hasty here! I mean, I'm still not even sure I believe all of what you're saying!" Carly sputtered. "Besides, what did Jack have to say about all this? I bet he couldn't have wanted me to get involved in a dangerous situation like this!"

"You're right," Konami relented. "He didn't, not at first. But after a while, he saw things my way. I told him that I would allow you to make your own choice, but I think you should at least try to remember everything for yourself before you shut me down."

Konami reached into his holster then, retrieving the card that Jack had given him.

"This is the gift I told you about," Konami explained, setting _Fortune Lady Past_ on the table and sliding it to Carly. "Jack wanted you to have it. It might help you remember what you've forgotten. You don't have to give me an answer immediately. Just... Just promise me you'll think about it, alright?"

"The gift was a fortune card?" Carly said, staring at the Level One Tuner with a frown. She took it into her hand, ignorant to how Konami stared at her intently, as if expecting something to happen. After a moment, he sighed, relaxing as he waited for her response.

"Fine," she huffed eventually, "I promise I'll think about it, but don't expect a positive answer, all right?! This is a lot of stuff to digest, you know?"

 _'If it's even true,'_ some part of her continued to think.

Konami sighed sadly after a moment, but nodded his head. "I understand."

He rose from the table, dumped his bag and empty cup into the trash, then turned to stare at Carly one last time.

"I'll give you some time to make up your mind. Just don't keep me waiting too long, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Carly grumbled. "Assuming this isn't a joke and all, sure."

Konami opened his mouth, perhaps to tell her once again that he wasn't joking, when the sudden chirp of his cellphone filled the air.

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN_

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN_

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN_

"Seriously?" Carly said, raising a brow at him. " _That's_ your ringtone?"

"Heh, I better take this," Konami said sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck before turning away.

 _"-yello? Wis? Yeah, don't worry, I'm on my way. I promise I'll explain everything to you guys when I get there-uh huh, Enzo? Yeah. Oh yeah, he was no challenge at all. Super easy. Totally didn't come super close to losing or anything. Huh? I am not lying! No, screw you! Put Wis back on the phone! Hey! Yeah I'll be over in a minute. Just finishing up with Carly. No, not_ that _kind of finish. Uh huh. Uh huh. Right. See you there."_

With a sigh, he ended the call, sliding the cellphone back into his pocket.

"I gotta go," he told Carly as he returned.

"Trouble in paradise?" Carly asked.

"Depends on your definition of trouble," Konami sighed. "Gang's still waiting to hear back from me regarding...all this. I better not keep them waiting or I'll never hear the end of it. Are you gonna be alright here?"

"Yeah? It's not like anything bad ever happens at WcDonald's." Carly said, tilting her head in confusion at his question.

She nodded once more to Konami as he waved her goodbye, then watched as he vanished out the back entrance, leaving Carly alone with her thoughts.

It was only after she heard the unmistakable roar of his fleeing Duel Runner that she let out a sigh she hadn't known she was holding.

 _'Great,'_ she thought. _'As if dealing with Mr. Pitts wasn't enough, now I have Konami's weird stories to deal with too?'_

She glared at the Fortune Lady card on the table, having half a mind to just throw the thing away and forget the conversation ever happened. But, she couldn't. Everything Konami said had to be taken with a grain of salt, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't the least bit interested. Besides, regardless the conversation surrounding it, the card was the first real gift she'd ever gotten from Jack. Even if it wasn't what she was expecting, she couldn't just go and leave it in a dumpster, could she?

No.

She already knew the moment she'd heard it was from him.

She'd cherish the card, even if she didn't want to.

Jack was her King, after all.

And Konami said that same King had wanted to protect her.

A warmth filled her cheeks as she thought of Jack, hovering over her protectively like a guardian angel.

 _'Carly...'_ he whispered to her sweetly, cupping her chin.

 _'My King...'_ Carly replied, tilting her head upward to kiss him.

But wait.

Now that she thought about it, wasn't there something she was forgetting...?

The sudden buzz of her own cellphone brought her back down to reality, and she stared at the phone to see one missed message from Mr. Pitts.

 _\- The press reveal will be starting any minute! Are you there yet? -_

"Oh no!" she screamed, fumbling with her things as she leapt to her feet. "Combat Lane! I'm going to late!"

She threw Fortune Lady Past in with the rest of her deck, zipped up her purse, then raced out the front doors to jump in her van.

What a big waste of time! She _knew_ she should've turned down Konami's lunch offer! Combat Lane was a whole thirty minutes away from where WcDonald's was, and the press reveal was supposed to start in just under ten minutes!

 _'Shit shit shit shit SHIT!'_ she thought, reversing out into the street before tearing a path down the road toward the highway.

There was no way she was going to get there in time!

Mr. Pitts was going to kill her!

 _-5D's-_

Combat Lane.

The future home to spectacular races, amazing duels, and one of the greatest dueling tournaments in the history of Duel Monsters: the World Racing Grand Prix!

It sat on the edge of New Domino, just beside the reconstructed Daedalus Bridge, serving as a new symbol of unity between the city and Satellite. Right now, in that same facility, reporters and sponsors alike had gathered for New Domino's official press release regarding the stadium.

And among them...was Carly Carmine.

"Whew! Somehow I made it without missing anything too important," Carly murmured, walking amongst her fellow journalists as they headed onto the scene. Shaking off the anxiety she felt over her tardiness, Carly glanced down at the camera in her hands, activated its record function, and held it up in front of her face.

"Okay," she began. "Nervous shivers aside, this is Carly Carmine here at New Domino's new Stadium in New Domino City, well I mean, obviously New Domino's new Stadium is in New Domino City, but- _uagh!_ "

Caught off guard, Carly suddenly found herself thrown off-balance, the result of a cruel and vicious shove delivered to her from the arm of a familiar blonde.

"This is Angela Raines here," Carly's assailant said eagerly, speaking into her own microphone as two men filmed her, "reporting for WGGK at Combat Lane's official press reveal! After last night's surprise announcement of a Tag Duel Tournament taking place in this very location in a week's time, Director Lazar has finally granted a select few access to the field to survey the coming spectacle! But of course, we aren't the only ones here! Famous celebrities and esteemed sponsors of the upcoming tournaments have flown in as well, eager to lay their eyes upon the product of their creation! Such figures include Hideo Kojima of Kojima Productions, and far more importantly, the famed Phazz Crinceton of Manjoume Digital Entertainment!"

"Uh, Angela?" Carly said, frowning as she marched back up to the woman, "From one journalist to another, his name's not Phazz Crinceton, it's Chazz Princeton!"

"Ugh. Hate to break it to ya Carly, but the Daily Duel's just a dressed-up blog! And since that's who you're working for, guess what? You're a blogger - not a journalist. So why don't you just stay outta the way and let the real reporters do their job?"

"Because blog or not, I'm still a reporter! I covered the Fortune Cup just like you did, remember? And we even did all that investigating together at the Arcadia Movement!"

"Tch, you mean that time you left me stranded on the side of the road?!" Angela growled.

Carly winced, "Well, okay, I admit I did do that...but you were totally asking for it!"

"You know what, you're right." Angela said, "I was asking for it. A promotion, that is! Because by stranding me that day, you landed me a job with the WGGK, where I could finally do some real reporting! No more digging through trash cans looking for leads, or hitting the streets to talk to commoners... I have a person for that now. They're a lot like you actually, a mangy little mutt looking for a treat. Remind me again...how many hits have your articles gotten on the Daily Duel?"

"Thousands of...millions!" Carly snapped, earning a laugh from her former coworker.

"I seriously doubt that." Angela said, turning to take notice of the clownish face belonging to the man of the hour. "Well Carly, I'd love to talk down to you some more, but I did enough of that back at the Daily Duel. See ya! I got an interview to score!"

"Hey, wait a second!" Carly called, chasing after Angela as she fled with her cameramen in tow.

It didn't take long for her to lose them; much like Angela, all of the popular reporters had begun to gather, surging around a few distinct individuals even as Sector Security's elite forces tried to keep them at bay. The crowd pushed and blocked her view, forcing her to give up the chase just so she could find the space to breathe.

 _'Something must be happening,'_ she thought as she fought through the masses, only for an epiphany to strike just a second later. ' _Oh no, the scoop! It's the entire reason I'm here and I almost forgot about it! Where's my camera? WHERE'S MY CAMERA?!'_

She fumbled with her things for a moment, checking her purse and back and sides in search of the one device that could save her.

"Ah, found it!" Carly cried in relief, realizing the black device was still hanging off her neck, exactly where she'd left it. Recorder in hand, she quickly joined the crowd, eager to bring back a story or interview that would land her a promotion at the Daily Duel. With the right amount of flair, who knows? They might even make her a full-time employee!

"I'm getting all nervous and stuff..." Carly breathed, setting a steadying hand on her chest as she finally got a space for herself. "What sort of questions should I ask? Which sponsor should I try to interview? Ah!"

As if a lightbulb suddenly illuminated the situation, Carly immediately reached down into her purse and pulled out a shiny deck of cards.

"You guys are a little different than I remember, but you still hold my trusty fortunetelling deck!" she exclaimed. "This outta give me some kind of clue of who to choose!" She pulled out a few cards and shuffled them in her hands. "Now, let's see...Draw!"

Glasses glinting in the sunlight, Carly smiled as she pulled a single card from the stack and revealed it to herself.

" _HAAAAH!? Not you!_ " She screeched, drawing a few confused stares as she gazed into the smiling face of the glasses-wearing witch. "Fortune Lady Earth...you're the older version of Fortune Lady Chee, which makes you the absolutely worst card I could have drawn for my fortune! Let's see, what was it that you meant again?" she muttered, glancing at the card's tiny fortunetelling font. Upon doing so, her frown only deepened further, "Just like I thought... Today's going to be Absolutely Awful! My rivals all have a big head start, and all I have to ward them off is the lucky number six, the color black, and a pair of leather shoes! Ngh...darn it, why couldn't I have just drawn Hikari instead?!"

The sound of flashing cameras and roaring voices brought Carly back to the situation at hand. Not wanting to miss out, she quickly slipped her cards back into her purse and looked up, finding that Director Lazar had finally emerged from the VIP Box to greet and mingle with the many reporters who had come to see him. A few famous faces accompanied him, noted for donating funds instrumental to the completion of the brand new stadium.

Among them were the notorious Hideo Kojima, a man famed for his excellent work in the robotics business, the rising Hiroto Honda, a Duel Runner mechanic working out of Taylor and Wheeler Repairs, and perhaps most excitedly, the Standing Duel Pro Duelist, Chazz Princeton!

"Alright, alright..." Lazar said, waving his hands gently to placate the masses. "There's no need to be unprofessional here. We'll answer some of your questions, how about...you there, with the blonde hair! Angela, wasn't it?"

"That's right!" Angela said, standing at the very front of the crowd with her cameramen. She held her mic forward toward Director Lazar. "Tell us, what are your hopes for the upcoming tournaments? Is anyone really allowed to enter, regardless of age or place of birth? When can we expect to hear more about the line-ups for the WRGP?!"

"Yes," Lazar chuckled. "As I've stated before, my intention is for the World Tag Duel Grand Prix, as well as the World Racing Grand Prix, to forge a new bond between the people of New Domino and Satellite. No matter where they come from or what they've done, everyone loves dueling! It is my hope that by witnessing such spectacular duels here in this stadium together, the differences we've had in the past will give way to a shining future we can all enjoy!"

"Yes, but what about the application process? Is anyone really allowed to enter?"

"But of course, at least, in regards to the World Tag Duel Grand Prix," Lazar amended. "For those wishing to enter the World Racing Grand Prix however, you must have a valid Duel Runner license, and of course, display the ability to ride one. All duels in the WRGP will be done manually, you see, so to lessen the chance of any incidents I'm afraid that those too young to drive such a vehicle are barred from entry."

"I'm sure that will come as a relief to many parents worried about their reckless children," Angela continued, sharing a laugh with the clown-faced man.

"Ooooh, that Angela...!" Carly hissed, trembling jealously. "It's just like my fortune said! She's got a big head start on me! If I'm gonna get a scoop for the boss, then I'll need to get up there and ask the Director some of _my_ questions!"

She pushed through the reporting crowd, squeezing and grunting her way past the various journalists, bloggers, and Miitubers hoping to catch an interview of her own. It took her some doing, but after a while she'd finally managed to secure a spot in the center of the second row, directly behind where Angela was currently interviewing New Domino's acting Director.

"So tell me," Angela continued, completely ignorant to Carly's presence behind her, "what can you tell us about some of rules and regulations for the upcoming-"

"-what about the rumors that these tournaments of yours are just distractions?" Carly interrupted, shoving Angela aside as she did.

"Excuse me," Angela barked angrily, "I was in the middle of asking a question here!"

Carly ignored her in favor of pushing her camera up into Lazar's face.

"Distractions?" the clownish man asked wearily, "Whatever for?"

"I dunno," Carly said coyly, "maybe to cover-up the fact that despite it being over six months since Rex Goodwin's disappearance, there's not been any headway made into his location?!"

"...!" Lazar winced, but somehow managed to keep his confident smile. "I believe we already issued a press statement about that, something about him deciding to take a prolonged vacation, I recall? Old news, you could say."

"Then what about the leaked footage about giants of lights and fire brawling it out down in Satellite around the same time as Goodwin's disappearance? Does that have something to do with how long it's taking to find him?!"

"Kids these days," Lazar chuckled sheepishly. "You never know what they'll come up with."

"But-"

" _WHY ARE YOU ASKING IRRELEVANT QUESTIONS?!_ " Angela growled at her, grabbing her by the collar to pull her out of the way.

"H-Hey!" Carly screeched, "I was on to something there!"

"Even for an amateur, you must be insane not to know that I already covered that story!" Angela replied, "Months ago! You know, back when it actually mattered?!"

"No you didn't! You just gobbled up whatever lie Lazar fed you and passed it on through the entire city! There's a lot more going on behind the scenes here, Angela, even a sellout like you should be able to see that much!"

"Oooh, it's reasons like this that I quit working with you losers at the Daily Duel! Always going on about conspiracy theories and the like. Would you get it together for once and focus on reporting some _real_ news?!"

Lazar laughed fiendishly as Angela proceeded to do the hardest part of his job for him. "As dear Angela says, an official statement regarding those matters has already been issued. Now is the time to set aside what happened in the past to make way for a bright and shining future! Now, if you'll excuse me, as the _acting_ Director of New Domino City, I have many other matters to attend to. Please feel free to speak with our many sponsors however, I'm sure you'll find they have much to say in regards to Combat Lane's completion."

"Ah, wait!" Angela screeched. "I still had questions!"

Whatever questions she had would have to wait, however, for as Lazar stepped forward so too did the many soldiers of Sector Security. They pushed the reporters aside to make way for Lazar and his personal guard, leaving only the mingling sponsors to speak with.

"Grrr...! You ruined my interview!" Angela growled at Carly. "Ugh, this is why I hate dealing with amateurs!"

"Just great," another reporter mumbled as Lazar left the stadium completely. "Now there's nothing good for us to put on the six o'clock slot."

"There's still all the sponsors," another one pointed out.

"Oh right!"

"...tch! Outta the way!" Angela hissed, shoving Carly aside once more to free herself from the crowd. Carly cried out as she stumbled onto her rear, leaving Angela to race past the others with a sarcastic wave. "Smell ya later!" she told them all, prompting the others to immediately give chase.

"Wait, what?!"

"You won't be the only one to get something juicy!"

"Stardom, here I come!"

"Hey, wait!" Carly called after them, only cough and sputter into her sleeve as the mob left a cloud of dust in their wake. "Ugh, just great! Lazar dodged my question, and thanks to Angela interfering again, I've been left with nothing!"

Sure, maybe her going after Lazar's cover story this late was a little silly, but that didn't mean Angela had to harp on her for it! The truth was the truth, no matter how late it came, and if it meant buckling down and dealing with it all cold case style, then Carly was ready to dig in deep and ride out the chill!

Of course, that plan was all but busted now that Lazar was gone. Which meant the chance of bringing back a promotion-worthy scoop was about to slip through her fingers. That was, unless she got it together and interviewed some sponsors like the other reporters were!

 _'Alright, fine!'_ Carly thought, dustinh herself off after climbing back to her feet. _'We'll bench the cover-up story till later. Boss'll really let me have it if I don't bring back at least one scoop this time!'_

She glanced toward the mingling sponsors, only to feel her eye twitch as she noticed that almost each and every one of them was already caught in an interview. If she didn't hurry, there would be no stories left to tell!

"Get it in gear, Carly!" she told herself, slapping the nervousness from her cheeks. "It's snooping time!"

Camera in hand, she raced onto the scene, joining the other reporters surrounding the famous men and women gathered for the event.

"E-Excuse me!" Carly called out to them, hoping to catch someone's - anyone's - attention. "Uh, you there! Mr. Kojima?"

She tried to catch the attention of the famed Robotics builder, but he was already caught in a conversation with the harlots from the Domino News Network.

"Hiroto Honda, sir?!"

Again, she found herself ignored, the man far too busy dealing with the reporters from the Tops News Channel to have time for her.

"Darn it! At this rate, I'll be left in the dust! Isn't there anyone...?"

She glanced around, casting her gaze among the remaining sponsors. Many of them, like Honda and Kojima, were already caught in a series of questions and interviews. Still, Carly was nothing if not persistent. There had to be at least one person who had yet to give a comment - just one...!

"Ah!" Carly gasped, spotting the rougish black hair of a certain Pro Duelist. "That's...Chazz Princeton!"

 _'And he's wearing black!'_ She thought as she stared at him, _'Today's lucky color!'_

"Mr. Princeton!" she called out. " _MR. PRINCETON?!_ Could I get an interview?!"

The former Obelisk scowled, glanced at her, then proceeded to walk over with a sigh.

"Whaddaya want?" he asked, "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Busy doing what, eating?" Carly asked, glancing at the food and drink in his hand.

"Obviously," Chazz scoffed, proceeding to take another bite of the hamburger in his hand. Carly glanced at it, noting its surprising similarity to the rare card Winged Kuriboh. Even more interestingly, Chazz seemed to take some sort of dark pleasure with each bite, smiling sinisterly as if enjoying some inside joke.

"Uh, whatever," Carly said, shaking her head. It wasn't important. What was important was getting that scoop! She took hold of her camera, activated its record function, then held it up toward Chazz. "So, Mr. Princeton, tell me: Everyone's aware of the contributions your family's made to help make this all possible, but will you be joining in on any of the festivities?"

"What? You mean like, compete in the tournaments?" Chazz asked. "Don't mock me. I'm in the big leagues, I don't have time to play games in some clown's stupid tournament! Only reason I even came was because my brothers were too lazy to bother showing up themselves. Feh, probably knew how much of a bust it'd be." He turned his head to the side, glaring off into the distance. "Oh, stop nagging me!"

"Uh, excuse me?" Carly asked, eyes narrowing behind her glasses. She hadn't even said anything!

"I wasn't talking to you," Chazz growled at her. "Ugh, now look at what you've made me do. Next question!"

Okay, so first impressions... Chazz Princeton was _weird_. Still, she supposed all great Duelists had a quirk. So...

"Just to reiterate, you're _not_ planning on competing in either of the tournaments?"

"No," Chazz muttered. "What sort of self respecting Duelist plays Duel Monsters on a motorcycle? As far as I'm concerned, all these Turbo Duelists are all just gloryhogs! But if I _was_ competing, which I'm not, you can rest assured that the Chazz is the one who would be taking home the gold!"

"-er, actually, based on your recent Dueling Record, you're more likely to take home a bronze or a silver medal than a gold. That is, assuming the WTGP or WRGP would be giving out medals in the first place...Oh, also, they're called Duel Runners, not motorcycles, and Turbo Duels can actually be pretty fun if you know what you're doing-"

"-is this an interview, or a lecture, because I didn't come all the way over here just to be judged by some no-name reporter wearing Mokuba Kaiba's dirty laundry!" Chazz barked, only to suddenly glance off into the distance again. "Yeah, I _know_ he's a Turbo Duelist, and it doesn't change anything! He's still a lazy bum, and he _still_ hasn't paid me back for that favor I did him!"

"Are you...on the phone, or something?" Carly asked.

"Does it _look_ like I'm on the phone right now?" Chazz snapped, turning his gaze back to her. "Next question!"

"Uh...oh, right! So, as the representative of Manjoume Digital Entertainment, are there any Duelists or teams you're rooting for in either of the upcoming tournaments?"

Chazz actually seemed to ponder the question for a moment. He took another bite of his Winged Kuriburger, chewed the pieces slowly in his mouth, then swallowed.

"Well, since the business is sponsoring that Team Unicorn group, I suppose I should say something nice about them...but if I'm being honest, those God Card users seem pretty powerful. Team Ragnarok, was it? Eh, it's too early to tell. Besides, isn't the deadline for entry still months away?"

"Well, yes," Carly allowed, "but it's never too soon to keep an eye on any heavy hitters, right?"

"I dunno. I'd say half a year away is still pretty early. A lot can happen in that time. Next question!"

Carly frowned. She was losing his interest! If she didn't do something quick, the scoop would slip through her fingers! She racked her brain.

"What's the matter?" Chazz asked between bites, taking a moment to slurp his drink. "If you're all finished then I'm outta here. The Chazz has his own things to do, ya know."

"H-Hang on!" Carly called after him. He paused mid-step. "I still have a lot of questions! I was just trying to decide which one I wanted to ask you, that's all."

"Oh yeah? Ya should've taken care of that before you came up to me!" Chazz barked. He then waved his burger-holding hand through the air, as if brushing away a fly. "Whaddaya mean 'I was the one who walked over to her?' That's beside the point!"

 _'I gotta do something quick before I lose this crazy baboon!'_ Carly thought. _'I already asked him about the tournaments, so...what do I do next? Think, Carly. think! What did I learn about reporting back at the academy? When you run out of ideas, do you ask them something personal? I've already asked him everything about the upcoming tournaments, and unlike his brothers, Chazz didn't seem to know anything about the financial aspect in previous interviews! So...do I go for a personal hit?'_

Trembling nervously, Carly raced through everything she knew about the great Chazz Princeton, hoping to come up with something that could keep him locked into their conversation. The former Obelisk watched her boringly as he finished the last of his burger, then turned to start walking away once more. He had just taken his third step when it finally hit her-

"Wait, Mr. Princeton! I've got it!" Carly asked. "As a Duelist, you must have faced many difficult opponents, so tell me...which of them was your greatest obstacle?!"

"Zane Truesdale, easy!"

Carly's eyes widened in shock, _'He answered it so quickly! Was he expecting it?!'_

 _'Feh, this clown's got no idea how to ask hard questions!'_ Chazz thought simultaneously. _'I'll put an end to this farce here and now!'_

"Most prized possession?!"

"Armed Dragon LV10!" Chazz supplied, batting away the invisible fly once again.

"Greatest moment of your life?!"

"Winning the 'Manjoume Man of the Year' award, twice!"

"Favorite Duelist?"

"Myself!"

"Favorite Duel? Ah, that doesn't include yourself!"

"Yugi vs. Kaiba! Battle City Finals!"

 _'None of these questions have anything to do with what's going on here and now!'_ Carly thought, flummoxed. _'I have to dig deeper! Let's roll into politics!"_

"What do you think of the recent completion of the Daedalus Bridge? Is the joining of Satellite and New Domino something to cheer about, or are you worried that the new integration will bring new problems regarding class and welfare?!"

"The only concern I have is how long it took for you louts in New Domino to do something about it!" Chazz responded, "I have no patience for those who complain about starving children in Africa...yet can't be bothered to help those right next to them!"

"Quite an emotionally charged response!" Carly replied, "However, there are those that would say that the people in Satellite need to stay there, if only to continue the fine work they've done so far! What do you have to say to that?"

"Fine work? What, you mean cleaning up all the garbage and junk that floats down from New Domino?" Chazz shot back, "Yeah, I bet you slackers loved having someone to clean up after you, but fun time's over! Just because someone works with trash doesn't mean they have to _be_ trash! Just look at Syrus Truesdale, when he started Duel Academy, he was among the worst of the worst, but now look at 'em! He's trending Top Ten Most Likely Duelists to become World Champion! He won't, if only because he'll lose to me, but still!"

"Lose to you?" Carly asked, "But hasn't Syrus beaten you consistently ever since he debuted as a Pro?"

" _Ughk...!_ " Chazz sputtered.

"In fact, now that it's come up, hasn't your record taken hit after hit these past few years? A loss to Truesdale, a loss to Wheeler...ah, not that it's anything to be ashamed of! Everyone loves a good underdog story!"

"U-Underdog?!" Chazz barked. "J-Just who do you think you're talking to here?! I'm not an underdog! I'm the Chazz! I've won plenty of awards, participated in countless tournaments!"

"But do you have a girlfriend?!" Carly pressed, pushing her camera close to his face. "Everyone's been wondering since you first appeared on Miss Heartthrob Magazine, but you've always refused to comment!"

"G-Girlfriend?! T-That's enough, this interview is over!"

"Ah, wait!" Carly shouted, reaching out to grab Chazz's sleeve.

In that moment, however, she missed it: the pool of condensation that had gathered at her feet. She hadn't realized it at the time, but Chazz's plastic cup wasn't holding wine or water. It was a strawberry slush from WcDonald's. A strawberry slush that had melted in Chazz's hands over the course of the interview. And so it was, as Carly stepped forward to grab Chazz's sleeve, her foot stepped into that fateful puddle of liquid...and threw her off-balance.

"Huh?!" Carly gasped, feeling her weight suddenly tilt backward, ready to descend.

"Wha-?" Chazz sputtered, feeling something tear away.

It was his sleeve.

Mid-slip, Carly had latched on to it, taking it with her as she fell down toward the crisp, rocky asphalt of Combat Lane. The black cloth of Chazz's sleeve swayed in the breeze all the same, held only by the tip of Carly's fingers as she collapsed. It fell behind her head as she finally hit the ground, latching onto the bowl of complimentary punch seated at the table behind them. Ignorant to this, Carly pulled it loose as she turned to stand up, only for the jacket to latch on at the last moment, bringing the punch bowl crashing down onto her head.

" _Urk!_ " she grunted, the glass bowl hitting her with a thud and spilling its contents across her bright orange jack and striped, long-sleeved shirt. They dyed it and the rest of her red, but far more importantly, wet the sleeve of Chazz's busted jacket.

"T-That was my lucky jacket," Chazz breathed in shock, glancing at the bare skin where his sleeve once sat. "Y-You..." he grimaced, glaring at Carly, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

Carly tried to get up to apologize, only to slip once again in the new puddle made by the spilled punch. Her foot went flying upward, knocking Chazz in the chin as her shoe came loose and flew through the air. Chazz stumbled backward, nearly tripping over his own feet as he registered the blow, only to squawk as Carly's shoe came down and plaster its boot atop the center of his face.

"Omigosh!" Carly shouted, "I am so sorry, Mr. Princeton! I really didn't mean for any of this to happe-owhoa!"

Stumbling forward as she slipped yet again, Carly unintentionally tackled Chazz, sending them crashing into the group of reporters interviewing Mr. Kojima. A mass panic started as the group felt themselves shoved forward, and they quickly parted to give way to the falling Carly and Chazz.

"Oof!" Chazz grunted as he landed first, wincing in pain as he took the brunt of the blow.

"Ow..."

They laid there motionless for several moments, both attempting to confirm whether or not the events that had just occurred really happened. After a moment, the sudden flash of a camera brought them both to their senses, and they looked up to find Angela Raines grinning at them through the lens of a camera.

"Angela, wait-!" Carly pleaded, but she wouldn't.

"Smile, girl." Angela said, sounding pleased with herself, "You're about to make the front page!"

And she snapped the picture.

 _ **-5D's-**_

 _ **BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? SCANDAL AT COMBAT LANE!**_

"The fresh hell is this, Carmine?!" Mr. Pitts shouted that evening, slapping the article down on his desk. "You were supposed to bring me a story, not become one!"

"Sorry, Mr. Pitts!" Carly apologized, wincing as the man brought his fist crashing down. It smacked against the surface of his desk loudly, filling his office with a loud and sturdy _thump_ as he glared at the young woman.

"Sorry won't cut it this time, Carly." Mr. Pitts told her, wagging his finger. "You've gone too far!"

"Whaddaya mean?" Carly complained, "It was just an accident! I tripped!"

"Tripped into a scandal," Mr. Pitts retorted. "A scandal, I might add, with one of the most famous dueling celebrities of all time! And you ripped his lucky jacket!"

"I mean, I don't really think it's _that_ serious. I mean, it's just a jacket-"

"Do you know how many times since he's gone Pro that Chazz Princeton has been seen without that jacket?"

"Zero?" Carly guessed.

"Zero," Mr. Pitts confirmed. "In others words, not once. Not one time, has he dueled without that jacket. And now, it's gone. Ripped, kapooie! Do you realize what this is going to do to his ratings? I mean, he could _sue_!"

"Over a jacket? Boss, come on! Mr. Princeton might have a bit of an ego, but he's not gonna sue over something like this! He really doesn't seem like the type-"

"-the fact that you don't even seem to be the least bit concerned about this, proves that I was wrong about you." Mr. Pitts hissed. "God, you know, sometimes I wish you were more like Angela!"

" _Angela?!_ " Carly breathed incredulously. "Boss, you realize she's the only reason any of this is even a thing, right?! First, she ruins my interview with Lazar, then she goes and writes that stupid article-"

 _"That stupid article is already trending #1 on Pitter!"_ Mr. Pitts snarled.

Carly flinched. Whether it was out of fear or surprise...she didn't know. What she did know was that Mr. Pitts was panting, and heavily too. Most of his rage seemed to have died down, for his balled fist had loosened up, releasing a single finger that tapped against the desk impatiently.

Carly hated when Mr. Pitts tapped his finger.

"You know..." he said to her, "I used to think that letting Angela go was the worst mistake of my career. Now, I know better. It wasn't letting Angela resign that stained my career...it was hiring you."

"B-Boss?" Carly asked, suddenly fearful. "W-What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you should go pack your things." Mr. Pitts sighed, "You're fired."

" _I'm what?!_ " Carly snapped, "No, Mr. Pitts!"

"Yes, Carly." Mr. Pitts growled, "You're done. Finished. Through."

" _What?_ No, Mr. Pitts! _No!_ You can't do this! I've worked here for years, I've- I've interned since high school!"

"I know," Mr. Pitts said softly, "and I used to think I could make something of you. I thought I saw something in you; a diamond in the rough, a jewel that just needed time to reach its full potential."

"You're not wrong," Carly shouted. "I mean, sure, I messed up a little - but everyone makes mistakes!"

"Yeah, once, or twice, or maybe even three times!" Mr. Pitts grunted, "But with you Carly, it's almost every day!"

"But-"

"No, Carly." Mr. Pitts said finally, "No. I was wrong about you. You are not who I thought you were. So go. You're done here. I'll give you till five to pack your things."

This couldn't be happening.

Not like this.

All the work she put in, all the effort she spent running his errands and doing his dirty jobs...wasted.

And for what?

A stupid article about a ripped jacket?

"You know what, don't bother!" Carly spat, the unfairness of it all finally getting to her as she rose from the chair. "You never gave me an office, anyway. I have everything I need in my van!"

Without another word, she turned and raced out of the office, leapt down the stairs, and ran out the front door. With each step, she heard the jeers and laughter coming from her former coworkers, their once friendly faces twisting into derisive sneers that mocked her each and every failure.

She slammed the door to her van shut as she climbed in the back, silencing the world around her and dousing herself with the sweet darkness and isolation she so desperately craved. It was only there, in the privacy of her van's makeshift bedroom, where she sat alone and unloved, that she finally allowed her tears to fall.

What was she going to do?

Where was she going to go?

She had no money, she _barely_ had a home - _and hadn't that been a shock_ , and now...she had no job.

So she sat there.

She sat there and thought.

She thought about Lazar, and his stupid cover-up. She thought about Konami, and his stupid story. She thought about Chazz and his stupid jacket. She even thought about Mr. Pitts, and all of his stupid deadlines and complaints and insults...

But most of all, she thought about Angela.

Angela, who was always so much better than her.

 _Angela_ , who was always there to get in the way.

 _ **Angela**_ , who just happened to write the story that finally cost Carly her career.

Why was it always Angela?

Carly got hired on as an intern, but not in the position she wanted, because 'lo and behold, Angela had beaten her to the punch! Carly wrote story after story, but none of them got picked up! Why? Because _Angela_ was there, sweet-talking Mr. Pitts into running _her_ stories instead! _Carly managed to fluster Lazar - the Director, of all people - into sweating profusely enough that he might actually give up something, but oh, look who it is, but Angela! There to cut Carly off at the critical moment and ruin the day entirely!_

Angela, _Angela,_ _ **Angela!**_

 _"I've had just about enough of Angela..."_ Carly muttered to herself, balled up into the corner of her van. "If only I could figure out how to do something about her..."

She sighed, "...but I guess that'll never happen."

 _But couldn't it, though?_

Carly blinked in surprise, as if wondering if the thought really came from herself.

 _Konami told you earlier, didn't he?_ the dark voice in her mind whispered. _That you had the power to do all that...and more! You could make it so that nobody could ever hurt you again. Not the boss, who disrespects you at every turn...not some greedy Pro who's ego is as big as his hair...and definitely,_ _ **definitely not Angela Raines!**_

"W-Who's there?!" Carly asked, taking a swipe through the darkness. The swing knocked loose the purse that had been dangling by her side, scattering its many contents across the floor. The quick flash of camera illuminated the room as it hit the floor, revealing the same messy interior that she knew and loved.

There was no else there.

She was alone.

"Get it together, Carly..." she whispered to herself, taking a deep breath as she reached down to gather things. "Don't go losing your marbles now!"

 _But if not now, then when? We've all got to let loose a little sometimes!_

"Okay, now I _know_ I'm not crazy! Someone's definitely talking to me! But who?" Carly asked, kneeling beside her scattered cards. She picked one of them up, revealing the glowing card Konami had given her earlier: Fortune Lady Past.

 _The question's not who, but why?_

"Ah..!" Carly gasped, a wave of miasma bursting from the card, engulfing the space around her. She dropped it from her hand immediately, leaving it free to release wave after wave of dark energy. The pressure from the sudden burst of miasma sent the loose objects in the back flying. Scattering them around Carly in a twisting tornado that sought to engulf her whole.

"No...!" she shouted, shielding her eyes as she ran through the darkness and took hold of the doors to the van's back. She threw them open hurriedly, attempting to step out into the evening streets of New Domino but-

 _"Don't bother,"_ someone called out from behind her.

She refused.

Heaving forward with all her might, she escaped the chaotic van and ran out into the street, only to trip over her shoes and go sprawling onto the ground. The sudden collision knocked away her glasses, leaving her practically blind as she flailed about in search of help. A pair of miasmic tendrils began to creep out of the van behind her, accompanied by a shadowy figure who seemed to grow more solid with each passing second.

"S-Someone..." Carly called, the tendrils snaking around her limbs and tightening around her throat. She blinked furiously as she glanced around, attempting to find even a single person on the street who could help her. "Someone help me! There's something...! Something here!"

 _"I'm telling you, give it up."_ The voice repeated.

The tendrils engulfed Carly, dragging her body back toward the creeping darkness that seeped out of the van. Carly attempted to resist it, her fingernails digging into concrete as she was scraped away inch by inch.

"Someone...anyone..."

 _"Don't bother,"_ the voice told her, sounding rather smug as Carly drew closer and closer to the edge. _"In this place..."_ it whispered, the tendrils finally lifting Carly into the void, _"...there's no one who will come to save you."_

The doors to the van slammed shut, and Carly fell into the pitch-black void within. Lost in its darkness, unable to resist, unable to breathe; she sank. Deeper and deeper, into her very own darkness made real.

 _'Who is it?'_ she thought, flailing her arms helplessly in a bid to come back, to return to the surface from which she'd been dunked. _'Who's doing this to me?!'_

A hand crept out from the shadows, coming to rest upon Carly's shoulder. Its cold palm stopped her dead in her tracks, embracing her with its wicked pull before spinning her around to gaze deeper into the abyss.

Carly tried to resist, she really did, but...the moment she turned, it was too late.

Her eyes widened, lips parting in disbelief as the image before her finally began to register.

 _"Who is it, you ask?"_ the hand's owner asked, her smug tone betraying her. _'I think that's something...that's obvious with one look."_

And indeed it was.

Why?

Because standing before Carly was no monster or fiend. It wasn't a hellish demon, born from the depths of hell. It wasn't an unstoppable alien, sent to invade from the skies above.

It wasn't even some eldritch abomination, beyond mankind's understanding.

No.

It was her.

The other her.

The her she'd forgotten existed.

She who felt no fear or remorse.

She who knew what she wanted and how to get it.

She...who lived and died as a Dark Signer.

"Everything he said was true..." Carly realized, mind racing as what she'd been told earlier came racing back to the forefront of her mind. "Oh god... Jack...! Konami...!"

 _'They won't save you,'_ the Other said, raising her hand to caress Carly's cheek. _'Why would they, when Konami said it himself? The one they want right now isn't you...'_

She lifted her head, revealing a devilish, black-eyed smile.

 _"It's me."_

Their lips met...and the world lit up in flames.

* * *

 _ **Chapter Six - END**_

* * *

 _"This time Angela, you'll be the one making headlines!"_

 _Having awoken once more as a Dark Signer, Carly engages her old rival in a Game of Darkness! Though Angela attempts to fight back with her Harpie Lady Combo, Carly doesn't seem worried at all? The jaws of death creep in on Angela, but at the crucial moment...!_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Dark Signer Carly! Fortune Retold!**_

 _"Your forecast for the day...Absolutely Awful! Kehahahaha!"_

* * *

 ** _Read & Review!_**


	7. Dark Signer Carly! Fortune Retold!

_A hand crept out from the shadows._

 _Its cold palm stopped her dead in her tracks, embracing her with its wicked pull before spinning her around to gaze deeper into the abyss._

 _Carly tried to resist, she really did, but...the moment she turned, it was too late._

 _Her eyes widened, lips parting in disbelief as the image before her finally began to register._

 _"Who is it, you ask?" the hand's owner asked, her smug tone betraying her. 'I think that's something...that's obvious with one look."_

 _And indeed it was._

 _Why?_

 _Because standing before Carly was no monster or fiend. It wasn't a hellish demon, born from the depths of hell. It wasn't an unstoppable alien, sent to invade from the skies above._

 _It wasn't even some eldritch abomination, beyond mankind's understanding._

 _No._

 _It was her._

 _Dressed in the regalia of darkness, with a hooded face and glowing tats, stood the other Carly._

 _The Carly she'd forgotten existed._

 _The Carly who felt no fear or remorse._

 _The Carly who knew what she wanted and how to get it._

 _The Carly...who had lived and died as a Dark Signer._

 _"Everything Konami said was true..." Carly realized, mind reeling as the story she'd been told earlier came racing back to the forefront of her mind. "Oh god... Jack...! Konami...!"_

 _'They won't save you,' the Other said, raising her hand to caress Carly's cheek. 'Why would they, when Konami said it himself? The one they want right now isn't you...'_

 _She lifted her head, revealing a devilish, black-eyed smile._

 _"It's me."_

 _Their lips met...and the world lit up in flames._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Seven**_

* * *

 _ **Dark Signer Carly! Fortune Retold!**_

* * *

 _"CHEERS!"_ the group shouted, clashing their drinks together in a room full of warm-bellied laughter.

They stood in the break room of the WGGK offices, a wide and open space built for the sole purpose of letting its inhabitants let loose after surviving another day of vicious, hell-raising competition. It's current occupants were composed of the news station's upper echelon; its various bosses and known reporters, its most notable of which being the sharp, narrow face of former Daily Duel employee Angela Raines.

"Great job on the story today, Raines!"

"Why thank you! I only tried my best," Angela said.

"Keep up this kind of work," another co-worker added, "and you'll be behind a desk in no time!"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Angela laughed. "I still have a lot to learn from you all!"

Smiling that same cheerful smile, she stood amongst the crowd, only to find herself being praised again and again for the smallest of things; almost as if she were some sort of goddess made flesh.

Lovely.

"Angela, darling!" her boss, a gingerly woman named Ms. Himekoji called eagerly, "Great work on the press reveal. You really showed those Daily Duel upstarts where they can shove it!"

"Just doing my job, boss!" Angela laughed, "And really, it was nothing. The story practically wrote itself for me!"

"Oh, come now," Ms. Himekoji laughed, the sound loud and haughty as she waved Angela off. "You give yourself too little credit. Not just anyone could turn a clumsy spill into such an fiery scandal! You have talent, and I think it's finally time I started using it."

Angela's eyes widened in surprise. Could it be?

No! No. She calmed herself. There was no need to get all riled up until she was absolutely sure. For now, it was best she play the unassuming minion...in her time at the WGGK, Angela quickly realized Ms. Himekoji rather liked that particular trope.

"I'm sorry?" she asked her boss with an air of confusion. "I...Whatever do you mean?"

Ms. Himekoji laughed, then placed her hand on Angela's shoulder, "Oh please, don't play coy with me. We both know _exactly_ what I'm talking about. The anchor position; it doesn't take a genius to see you've got your eye on it, especially not when dear Walt is getting so old... He won't last much longer in this business, and well, someone's got to take his place, no?"

"I...well..." Angela smiled stiffly, more at being found out than getting the offer. "Was I really so obvious?"

"Hah!" Ms. Himekoji barked, "To these piss ants? Hardly. But Angela, darling, _I've_ been in this business for years. I know a shark when I see one; and you - my fine, fair-weather friend - are quite the megalodon, aren't you? That incendiary article you did on the False King Fudo all those months ago? _Excellent!_ And that scandal piece you wrote on Atlas' true heritage was quite the piece of work! Yes, you're easily the biggest shark in this room. Well, besides myself of course! After all, takes one to know one, right? _Ohohohoho!"_

Angela giggled in agreement, a sneaky smile growing on her face, "So, just to be sure, you're saying I'm due for a promotion?"

"Well, yes!" Ms. Himekoji replied, "But also no. We'll have to get you trained up first, of course. Maybe a little one-on-one training with dear Walt before he departs for good. No one can know of course, especially not him, at least not until we're ready to make the announcement. We'll have to make something up to get you some experience in the field; tell him something about...giving you some insight onto how things work on the other end of the spectrum. Old men like him love to drone on about all they know, especially if it means spending time with a fine young woman like you! Of course, that doesn't mean you won't be getting paid anything extra. It'll be a little under the table for a while, can't have anyone complaining, but...how does an additional twenty thousand Depii a year sound?"

Angela didn't even have to think.

"It sounds like you've got yourself a new anchor."

"Excellent!" Ms. Himekoji snickered conspiratorially, clapping her hands together upon hearing Angela's reply. "Oh, I do so love it when a good scheme comes together! I'll go set things up with Walt, you go home and get some rest. You've got a big day tomorrow, and a lady can never have too much beauty sleep!"

Before Angela could ask if she really looked like she needed it, Ms. Himekoji had already gone, stepping across the room to converse with the tall, white-bearded reporter sitting in the corner. She watched the beginnings of a conversation flicker between the pair, then quickly cast her gaze away, not wanting to appear overly suspicious.

What were the odds?

A promotion! And so soon!

 _'I'll have to make sure I thank Carly for this,'_ Angela thought with a smile. _'After all, it's really thanks to her that I got it!'_

Honestly, it wasn't like she _really_ had anything against the poor girl, but she just made it so easy! Besides, interrupting an ongoing interview was a big no-no in the realm of reporting, even for her! Carly doing so merely meant that she was ready to play with fire, so how was it Angela's fault if she got burned?

Well, okay.

Maybe she could've gone a little easier on the article. Still, Carly deserved it for all the pain she'd caused Angela earlier, and all was fair in news-and-war! Still, the article on Chazz and Carly's accidental foray did wind up getting her a promotion.

 _'Maybe I'll give a call to Mr. Pitts...make sure the buffoon doesn't get in_ too _much trouble. I mean, a little scandal here and there isn't that big a deal, is it? And I could always spin things in a way to make it sound like that bumbling Chazz was more at fault. A few weeks pass and it will have all blown over. Yes, just perfect if I do say so myself! If this works out, I can even jot it down as my one good deed for the day! I hope you're happy Carly, because I'm about to make us even!'_

She stepped outside, leaving the noisy room in favor of the building's empty lobby. After taking in its soft and quiet demeanor for a moment, Angela then reached into her purse and pulled out a shiny pink cellphone.

"Um, let's see here...what was his number again?" she wondered, scrolling through her Contacts to see if she still had Mr. Pitts' info. "Ah, here it is! I forgot I had him listed as _Caffeinated News Hound_. Now then, let's see..."

She hit the dial button, lifted the phone to her ear, and waited for him to pick up.

The soft buzz of the ringback tone filled the air, humming once, twice, three times, before going dead silent.

 _"I'M SORRY, BUT THE VOICEMAIL OF PERSON YOU ARE TRYING TO CALL IS FULL. YOU CANNOT LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THIS TIME. GOODBYE."_

The phone disconnected with a click, leaving Angela alone in the building's lobby, surprised and unimpressed.

"Strange," she mused to herself after a moment. "It's not like Mr. Pitts to leave his messages unchecked. Then again, I suppose it is rather late. I'll try him again tomorrow, if I remember, that is."

She slid the phone back into her purse, turned to rejoin her coworkers in the break room, but paused. Walt was staring at her through the glass door, a wide and waiting smile sitting comfortably on his face. Briefly, Angela wondered what sort of lie Ms. Himekoji spun for her. Was it some tale about wanting to broaden her horizons, like the woman had suggested earlier, or did she go for something a little more... _personal_? Angela didn't know, and after a further moment of thinking, she didn't really care, either.

What she did know, however, was that if she stepped back into that break room, the man would no doubt annoy her with endless tales about the 'good ol days' until her brain turned to mush! As a growing young lady, she had far better things to do than to listen to some feeble old man well past his prime.

Perhaps she'd better take Ms. Himekoji's advice after all, and turn in early for a good night's sleep?

Walt's smile grew, his waving hand beckoning her back inside.

 _'Ugh,'_ Angela thought, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Yes, Ms. Himekoji's advice seemed rather sound.

Angela waved Walt farewell with a wry smile, then turned on her heel, striding through the front door of the offices and stepping out into the dark, empty street. It was a five minute walk to the parking garage from where she stood, one of the few things she didn't enjoy about working for the big-name brand. Only the upper echelon of WGGK got their very own parking space just next door, and unfortunately, Angela wasn't the anchor just yet.

So with a tired sigh and weary frown, it was at approximately nine o'clock that night that Angela began her daily departure from the WGGK headquarters. The distant yet familiar hums of traffic accompanied her, along with the soft but steady glow of the occasional street light. It was an atmosphere she had grown used to over the past few months, but not one she particularly liked.

It was part of why she was so eager to take Walt's place. All sorts of dark and terrible things could happen to a beautiful girl like her in the city, and the more time she spent out on the streets at night increased the likeliness of that happening! Oh how she wished she already had that parking space; a quick hop and a skip, and she would have already been seated in her warm and cushy car, ready to race down the roads to Tops and return home.

Alas, such a future was still a few weeks off - or sooner, if Walt took a sudden turn for the worse.

Ah, but that was rather dark of her, wasn't it?

 _'Still, it's not exactly like the man's doing anyone any favors,'_ Angela thought, stepping into the parking garage entrance. _'He should just hurry up and retire, and then I can-'_

She never got to finish her thought.

At that exact moment, a roaring Duel Runner came flying toward her, forcing her to leap back several paces lest she be run down in the dead of night! The Duel Runner turned and skidded to a halt upon missing her, the face of its helmet-wearing rider completely unseen.

"Hey, what's your problem?!" Angela yelled at them angrily. "You nearly hit me, you know?!"

"What a pity," the rider's amused yet somehow familiar voice replied. "Shall we go for a do-over? I'll do better this time, promise!"

"E-Excuse me?!" Angela asked, offended and shocked at the same time. "I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

"Oh, you know me. In fact, you could even say you made me," the rider said. "I mean, it is - after all - your story that brought me here."

The rider then proceeded to dismount their ride, taking off their helmet to reveal the confident and cocky gaze of-

"Carly?!" Angela gasped.

It was, but it wasn't.

The Carly Angela knew was a klutz, dressed in a wacky orange vest and ridiculous glasses that really did her no favors. The Carly in front of her was completely different than that fashion disaster! She was dressed in some sort of outlandish cosplay, a black two-part robe accented with orange stripes shaped in some ridiculous design. Her midriff was completely exposed, showing off her admittedly well-toned abs, beneath which sat a short black mini-skirt and black waist-cape. A pair of black boots and fingerless sleeves completed the design, though Angela also took note of the triangle-shaped tattoo beneath her left eye, which - along with the other - had somehow been turned completely black.

 _'Contacts perhaps?'_

Angela shook her head, then looked at Carly with a mocking smile.

"Why Carly, finally gotten some clothes that suit your new title?" she mocked, "How absolutely _scandalous_ of you! Wherever did you get them? Tot Hopic?"

A frown fell onto Carly's face at the jab, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by that same confident smile.

"You like?" she asked Angela, her tone self-assured but nasty all the same. "They were a gift from a friend... One I made after parting ways with the Daily Duel."

"After parting ways?" Angela wondered.

Carly's smile grew, twisting in a fiendish grin that somehow sent shivers down Angela's spine.

"If you must know," she told the blonde, "thanks to that trashy article of yours, Mr. Pitts fired me! All the hard work and effort I put into working for him went up in smoke..." Carly growled, "...but that's fine. Thanks to that, I was able to remember what was truly important in my life...and I also learned just how good it feels to get a little payback!"

"Payback?" Angela asked, eyes narrowing at the words. "What do you mean, payback? Just what have you done?"

"It's not what I've done, but rather, who I did it too." Carly cackled, "I'm sure you must have noticed that he missed your call. So sorry, but it couldn't be helped! He was a little busy dealing with a disgruntled ex-colleague."

Suddenly realizing what Carly meant, Angela felt her eyes widen in shock.

"You're talking about Mr. Pitts, aren't you?" she breathed, "Have you done something to him?! Don't tell me you threatened to sue? Even you must know how worked up he can get about such things!"

"Sue? Oh, I gave him a lot more than a legal case to worry about," Carly explained. "Let's just say that the Netherworld has a few new victims to torture for eternity."

"The Netherworld?" Angela asked.

"Confused?" Carly inquired. "Don't worry, you'll have all your questions answered soon enough...once you join the others in darkness, that is!"

A strange sound echoed through the garage following Carly's words, and suddenly, a purple light began to glow from the girl's clothed arm. Piece by piece, the unmistakable form of a Hummingbird began to shine through the sleeve, and Angela stared at it in horror, incapable of understanding just what was going on.

"Y-Your arm?!" she screamed, backpedaling several paces in the wake of such insanity. "What's going on here?! What is this?!"

"Retribution? Karma, perhaps?" Carly tried. "Call it whatever you wish. It won't matter once you're six feet in the grave."

"You're insane!"

"On the contrary," Carly laughed, "for the first time in my life, I'm finally seeing things clearly. I'm done laying around eating scraps while everyone else gets a piece of the pie. It's my turn to live a little, and this time Angela, _you'll_ be the one making headlines!"

The blonde grimaced at the words.

"Is that what this is about?" she asked. "Carly, you know I don't decide what sells and what doesn't!"

"Maybe not," Carly allowed, "but you did decide to write that story! Now, you're going to pay for it, just like Mr. Pitts paid for firing me!"

A roaring light enveloped them in the wake of Carly's shout, and Angela raised her arms with a scream in an attempt to shield herself from any pain. In a blinding flash, a circle of fire lit up around them, trapping the pair in its burning sigil as Carly laughed at the blonde's fear.

"Scared? You should be," Carly said with a smirk, "but don't worry. I'll at least give you a chance!"

Moving to her Duel Runner, Carly suddenly threw a jagged device at Angela's feet. It clattered against the concrete, sending Angela stumbling back with another shout of panic until she looked down and saw it for what it was:

"A Duel Disk?!" she asked, kneeling to pick the device up.

"That's right," Carly confirmed, sliding her own Duel Disk onto her arm. "You and I are going to duel, and once you lose, that despicable soul of yours will be sent exactly where it belongs: the Netherworld!"

"And why on earth do you think I'd ever agree to such a thing?!" Angela snapped.

"Because," Carly giggled, "on the off-chance that you do somehow manage to beat me, you'll be free to leave."

"Leave?" Angela asked, scoffing at Carly's naivety and walking toward the flames. "You think you actually have me trapped? Even a child could figure out that all this creepiness you've got going on are nothing but holograms! I can leave anytime I-"

She stopped several inches from the circle's edge, the sudden sensation of heat catching her off-guard.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Carly told her, wagging a narrow finger gingerly. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. You'll find that unlike your usual by-the-books duel, this one is undoubtedly real!"

"Practical effects then," Angela scowled, walking back to the thrown Duel Disk. "So what? I win and you let me out of here?"

"That's right, and I'll even throw in a prize!" Carly cackled, reaching into the folds of her robe and retrieving several cards. "The souls of Mr. Pitts and the other Daily Duel employees I've bested. The ones who did nothing but mock me after your article started trending!"

Angela frowned at the sight of the cards, the artwork of the screaming men and women making her uneasy. She was certain they were fake; photoshopped perhaps, or maybe taken for a scare cam, but then what was this feeling overtaking her?

"Fine," she decided, sliding the Duel Disk on and grabbing a stack of cards from her purse. "I might not carry a Duel Disk any more, but I _do_ still have a deck! You're on, Carly! Just don't be surprised when I sue you for harassment once this nonsense of yours has come to an end!"

"Then our fate has been decided!" Carly laughed, the vicious sound carrying through the void of smoke and ash. "Come, let us enjoy this Duel of Darkness, no matter how short it may be!"

The two women stared at each other fiercely, then spoke as one to ignite the flames within their hearts.

 _ **""DUEL!""**_

 _ **ANGELA - 4000 LP  
CARLY - 4000 LP**_

"Since I'm the one being forced into this," Angela said quickly, "then I'm sure you won't mind if _I_ take the first move!"

"By all means," Carly allowed with a smile. "Going first or second won't change what destiny has in store for you."

"Hmph, really? You're going on about your horoscope fortune nonsense _now_? What's next? No, wait. Let me guess," Angela scoffed, "you're going to come at me with those hideous little Fortune Fairies of yours, aren't you? They didn't work back in high school, Carly, so I'm not sure why you think they'd work now!"

Carly laughed, "You may think you know my deck, but you'll soon find yourself mistaken. Still, since you've known them for a little while, I suppose I should tell you..."

"Tell me what?"

"That I took the liberty of reading _your_ fortune before coming here," Carly giggled, "and let me tell you, Angela. It's _Absolutely Awful! Kehahahaha!_ "

Scowling in the wake of Carly's nasty laugh, Angela braced herself and drew her starting hand.

"We'll see about that," she then muttered, reaching for a sixth card. "I'm starting us off! Draw!"

 **TURN ONE - ANGELA - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**

Her lips curled upward into a self-satisfied smirk.

"You say my fortune's Absolutely Awful? Well, I'd have to disagree, because I drew this!" She shouted, revealing the new card in her hand. "My Harpie Channeler, who I'll be summoning in Attack Mode!"

She placed the card face-up on the Duel Disk, smiling as a golden light erupted from the space before her to call forth her summoned beast. Slowly, the smooth, womanly features of a yellow-eyed face came into view, followed shortly after by a pair of winged, black-feathered arms. A pair of large bird-like claws hung from the ends of each, within which were clad a tall, white-winged staff and an empty chain collar. The woman herself was dressed in a skin-tight white dress, upon which hung loose ends that exposed her shoulders and belly button. Another pair of bird-like claws removed the need for shoes, but a pair of long white stockings sat above them, giving the red-haired woman an absolute territory she knew how to use.

 _Harpie Channeler - LV4 - WIND - Winged Beast - (1400/1300)_

"Hah, Harpies!" Carly barked, smiling at Angela's new minion. "And you had the gall to complain about my clothing? I always knew you were a pain, but I didn't realize you were a hypocrite too!"

"Just because my monsters can get away with such clothes doesn't mean you can," Angela retorted. "And speaking of monsters, have I mentioned that mine has a special effect?"

"Oh? Do tell."

"Gladly!" Angela continued, "Once per Turn, Harpie Channeler lets me discard a "Harpie" card from my hand, and if I do, I can Special Summon a "Harpie" monster in Defense Position! So I hope you're ready for some breaking news, because this is the effect I'll be activating now!"

She ran through her hand quickly, grabbed the Harpie Lady seated on the far left, then swiftly dumped it into the Graveyard slot.

"I discard my Cyber Harpie to Special Summon a monster that'll make you think twice about challenging me!" She then explained, smiling as the soul of her sacrificed monster filled her Harpie Channeler's staff with light.

Chanting softly in some alien tongue, the red-haired Harpie tilted her staff forward. The light surging from Cyber Harpie's sacrifice suddenly grew even brighter, and then, a swirling portal of darkness began to materialize. It hovered before the Harpie Channeler, moaning with the sounds of harpish screams and rumbling growls. With a smirk, the Channeler threw her empty collar inside, and the voices suddenly went silent.

Then, it was heard.

The rumbling footsteps of a great beast, proud but humble all the same. Upon hearing its approach, Angela's eyes narrowed, and she shot Carly with a confident smirk of her own.

"Please," she said, speaking as the growls and footsteps grew closer and closer, "allow me to introduce the ever faithful servant of the Harpie Lady, _Harpie's Pet Dragon!_ "

With a wild snarl, the tamed dragon burst out of the swirling portal, its neck collared and chained by the Channeler to which it was attached. Its winged arms crashed to the ground, supporting its weight as it moved to sniff the air, eager to enjoy whatever full course meal its owners had prepared for it.

 _Harpie's Pet Dragon - LV7 - WIND - Dragon - (2000/2500)_

Carly chuckled, "A Level Seven monster with only two thousand Attack Points? Angela, I thought your cards were supposed to be good?"

"They are, and this one is about to get even better!" Angela snapped. "You see, my Pet Dragon may start with only two thousand Attack Points and twenty five hundred Defense Points, but for each Harpie Lady I have on the field, he grows three hundred points stronger!"

"That's nice and all," Carly replied, "but how does that help you? I don't see any monsters named Harpie Lady on your field, which means your Pet Dragon won't be getting any boost!"

"Actually, he will be, because my Harpie Channeler has a condition effect!" Angela explained. "While she's face-up on my field, her name is treated as Harpie Lady, and that's not all! Since I have a Dragon-type monster on my side of the field, her Level also increases, rising to match her beloved pet's at an impressive Level Seven!"

The red-haired Harpie giggled as she pet the growling dragon's head, their stats changing to reflect the revealed information.

 _"Harpie Lady" Channeler - LV7 - WIND - Winged Beast - (1400/1300)_

 _Harpie's Pet Dragon - LV7 - WIND - Dragon - (2300/2800)_

"And I'm only just getting started, because now that I have a Harpie Lady on the field, it's the perfect time for me to use this - _Hysteric_ _Sign_!"

She placed the green card onto her Spell Zone, smirking as its hologram appeared between her gathering monsters.

"It's a Continuous Spell with no lasting effects," Angela explained, "but when it's activated, I can add the card "Elegant Egotist" from my Deck to my hand! It won't be there for long, however," she continued, "because I'll be casting it immediately!"

A second Spell card hologram appeared next to the first, revealing the artwork of a shifting kaleidoscope.

"So?" Carly asked after a moment, "What's this new card of yours do?"

"Simple," Angela explained, pulling her Deck from her Duel Disk so she could scour its contents. "When I control a "Harpie Lady", Elegant Egotist lets me Special Summon "Harpie Lady Sisters" from my hand or Deck! I hope you're ready to witness the trio of terror, because you're not about to face just one Harpie Lady, but four!"

She finally found the desired card as she finished speaking, and wasted no time in slapping it upon her Duel Disk face-up. A golden screech then filled the flaming field, engulfing one of Angela's Monster Zones and giving way to three winged and feathered women.

They were clad in gold corsets with spiked breastplates that lefts their shoulders and arms completely exposed. Like the Harpie Channeler, bird-like wings stretched out from their arms, at the end of which sat not the typical pair of human hands, but rather large and dangerous claws. Long and pointed ears stretched out from their heads like an elf's, but they did nothing to take away from the monsters' beauty, which was only accented by their flowing and uniquely colored hair. These were the original sisters used since the days of old, Harpies that even the great Mai Valentine competed in tournaments with.

They were...the Harpie Lady Sisters!

 _Harpie Lady Sisters - LV6 - WIND - Winged Beast - (1950/2100)_

"Now that I've finished summoning out my monsters, I'll place one card face-down and end my turn." Angela stated. "Sure you don't want to just give up? You never beat me back in high school, and with the way my field is set up, there's no way you'll beat me now, either!"

Carly laughed as if the blonde had told a joke.

"Hate to disappoint you," she said, "but the Carly you mocked and ridiculed is long gone! I've grown up now, and so has my skill with a Deck! But if you still don't believe me, then allow me to show you. I'll use my Deck to predict your future. So let's see what fate has in fate for you, shall we?"

Her grin grew as she reached down toward her cards.

"It's my turn, I draw!"

 **TURN TWO - CARLY - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**

"Hahahaha! Looks like your fate will not be a good one. The card I've drawn is Fortune Fairy Chee!" Carly laughed, revealing the card to Angela. "Not only does this mean that you're future's absolutely awful, but since I've revealed her to you, I can use her effect to Special Summon her to the field! Come forth now, Fortune Fairy Chee! I summon you in Defense Mode!"

She slapped the card face-up onto her own Duel Disk, grinning as a girlish shout filled the air beside her. A golden light announced the arrival of her new minion, breaking away to reveal a small, glasses-wearing fairy clad in an orange dress. Her brown hair was cut short, with two small curls poking out from its top, along with a pair of feathery bangs that stretched out from the sides like wings. A tiny pink staff sat in her right hand, at the top of which stood Chee's very own special symbol: a dark pink orb below which sat a large brown triangle.

Chee waved it through the air eagerly several times, as if testing it, then spun around cutely in her dress and posed.

 _Fortune Fairy Chee - LV6 - EARTH - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"Tch, so you got lucky!" Angela scoffed, staring at the impressively weak monster. "It doesn't change the fact that that monster of yours doesn't hold a candle to either of my Harpie Ladies, much less my Harpie's Pet Dragon!"

"Luck, you say? If that's what you believe, I'll gladly read your fate once more!" Carly explained with a grin. "I activate my Fortune Fairy Chee's effect! When she's Special Summoned to the field through her own effect, we both get to draw one more card!"

Angela's eyes narrowed at Carly's tone, but she gladly drew another card from her Deck, shuffling it into her hand upon doing so.

Carly waited for her to finish, then smiled as she reached for her own Deck a second time.

"Now then, it's time to prove that there's more than mere luck going on here." She told Angela, "I draw, and in doing so, reveal to you your future!" She flipped over the drawn card, stared at it, then showed to Angela. "The drawn card is Fortune Fairy Swee! Looks like your fortune is still bad, Angela, and it's about to even worse, because like Fortune Fairy Chee, I can Special Summon Swee here when I reveal her!"

She smacked Chee's card face-up onto her Duel Disk directly beside Chee's, then watched, grinning as a golden light announced the blue fairy's arrival.

Like Chee, Swee was a small fairy, wielding a pink staff that bore her own unique symbol at the top. Unlike Chee, however, Swee's hair fell down to her waist, flowing like a river down toward the ground. Her soft blue eyes betrayed a hidden sadness that she carried deep within, and she did not but hover as the light of summoning died, revealing herself to the world.

 _Fortune Fairy Swee - LV4 - WATER - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"Another Fairy with Zero Attack or Defense? Just what are you playing at here, Carly? Is this supposed to be some sort of joke?" Angela asked.

"You're the only joke around here. You might think your field is all that, but against my power, it'll be broken apart soon enough!" Carly laughed. "I activate Swee's special ability! When she's summoned through her own effect, I can banish one of your monsters until my next Standby Phase!"

"What?" Angela gasped.

"I think it's time we broke up this little sisterhood of yours," Carly continued. "Swee, use your ability to banish the Harpie Lady Sisters two turns into the future!"

The blue fairy nodded weakly before aiming at the three Harpies with her staff. A pillar of water then suddenly burst from its tip, showering the field with brute force as it cut its way toward the three Winged Beasts.

"Not so fast, Carly!" Angela then shouted, "I've got a Trap Card - _Harpie Lady Elegance!_ It lets me shuffle my Harpie Lady Sisters back into the Deck, then Special Summon three "Harpie" monsters from different areas I control! One from my Graveyard, one from my Deck, and one from my hand!"

Just as the watery pillar was about to hit, the three sisters took to the skies, breaking formation to become their own unique monsters once again.

"Heh, so you dodged that, huh?" Carly asked. "Fine, I'll allow this Trap of yours. Go ahead and show me what you've got."

"Gladly," Angela shouted, scowling at Carly's nonchalant attitude. "From my Graveyard, I'll revive the Cyber Harpie Lady I discarded last turn!"

One of the flying Harpie Ladies immediately swooped back down toward the field, moving to stand alongside Pet Dragon and Harpie Channeler. Her outfit had changed, transforming from the gold corset to a dark, purple version that stuck to her skin. An electromagnetic whip had also materialized in her left claw, granting her additional Attack Points that could be used to whip her enemies into shape. She smirked smugly as she lashed it about once for good measure, her long red hair flowing behind her with each crack.

 _Cyber Harpie Lady - LV4 - WIND - Winged Beast - (1800/1300)_

"From my Deck," Angela continued, shuffling through the declared area and grabbing one card. "I'll call forth the Harpie Queen!"

She placed it down beside Cyber Harpie Lady's own card, then watched as the second of her soaring Harpie Ladies swooped down from the sky. Unlike Cyber Harpie, who only had her clothes change, the second Harpie Lady gained a brand new appearance as well. Her hair had turned green and fell down to her waist, tied back into an elegant ponytail that screamed royalty. Her once green feathers had lost their color, transforming into a beautiful white sheen that were adored by all. Her corset had also vanished, exchanged for an even more revealing outfit that showed off nearly all of the Harpie Queen's skin. Her thighs, navel and underarms were completely exposed, the naughty bits just barely covered by a sleek black cloth that wrapped down to her feet.

She smiled gently as she landed beside Cyber Harpie, then turned her gaze toward Carly and her two fairies with a hiss.

 _Harpie Queen - LV4 - WIND - Winged Beast - (1900/1200)_

"And finally," Angela finished, "from my hand, I call forth the Harpie Perfumer!"

The third and final Harpie Lady then descended, and like Harpie Queen, her entire appearance had changed. Her hair had gone from blue to pink, and the corset had vanished, replaced by a pair of skin-tight pink panks and a dark red bra that covered her assets. A vial of glowing perfume had also materialized in her claws, wafting through the air with an unnatural smell that could make any man swoon. The Harpie cackled as she fell in line beside her sisters, snickering at Carly and the small fairies she controlled.

 _Harpie Perfumer - LV4 - WIND - Winged Beast - (1400/1300)_

"Congratulations," Carly said. "Now you _really_ control four Harpies."

"Yes, but I'm not done yet, because my Harpie Perfumer has an effect!" Angela explained. "When she's summoned, I can add one Spell or Trap from my Deck to my hand that specifically lists the card "Harpie Lady Sisters" in its text! And even better, since I control a "Harpie" monster that's over Level Five, I can add a second Spell or Trap, so long as its name differs from the first!" She quickly ran through her Deck again, grabbing two cards that matched the conditions before revealing them to Carly. "I add the Field Spell Harpie's Hunting Ground and the Spell Card Alluring Mirror Split!"

"Great," Carly said with a snicker, "too bad those cards won't change anything. You're still doomed."

"I disagree, because you've forgotten about my Pet Dragon's effect!" Angela said. "Like my Channeler, these new Harpies I've called forth are all treated as "Harpie Lady" while on the field! And you know what that means, three more Harpies means nine hundred more Attack and Defense Points for my dragon to gain, and it'll put all of them to use soon enough!"

The Pet Dragon roared triumphantly as the four Harpies gathered around him, sending his power to new raging heights! His body began to tense and flex, growing more vicious and feral with each additional Attack Point. When he had finally stopped growing, he towered over Carly and her fairies, ready to destroy them all with his _Fearsome Fire Blast_.

 _Harpie's Pet Dragon - LV7 - WIND - Dragon - (3200/3700)_

"Let's see you take that on!"

"Well, if you insist," Carly said, chuckling at Angela's misplaced confidence. "I'll destroy your poor pet dragon along with the rest of your Life Points if that's what you desire. Before I do, however, I think it's time I taught one of my Fortune Fairies a little something about growing up. I tribute Fortune Fairy Chee to summon her more mature counterpart, Fortune Lady Earth!"

Chee glanced back at Carly in surprise, only to feel her eyes widen behind her glasses as a sudden pulse erupted from within her. With a sudden ferocious snarl of anguish, her body began to grow and change. She grew taller and leaner, the orange dress she wore as a child ripping in two as her height grew to surpass Carly's own. Bat-like decorations then materialized around her waist, wrapping around the bottom half of the torn dress and keeping it from falling to the ground. The energy then continued across the rest of her body, producing a skintight suit that covered the innermost parts of her body before racing upwards. It wrapped into her hair, cutting off the feathery bangs her hair produced and sending out a pair of batty wings instead. The wicked eye of Fortune then materialized on her forehead, sending a pair of dark red lines down her cheeks.

The newly grown Chee then cackled in delight, swinging her new wooden staff through the air cruelly before smirking at Angela nastily.

 _Fortune Lady Earth - LV6 - EARTH - Spellcaster - (?/?)_

"Your monster may have grown in size," Angela said upon seeing it, "but it doesn't seem to have grown in Attack or Defense Points!"

"That's just because its effect hasn't kicked in yet," Carly explained. "When Fortune Lady Earth is on my field she gets stronger with every round. You see, for each Standby Phase she's here, she actually gains one more Level! That's four hundred more Attack Points, four hundred more Defense Points, and four hundred more ways to beat you each and every turn!"

Earth's glasses gleamed darkly as her effect kicked in, transferring her Levels into power she could use to destroy her enemies.

 _Fortune Lady Earth - LV6 - EARTH - Spellcaster - (2400/2400)_

"Twenty four hundred Attack Points might be enough to get at one of my Harpies," Angela admitted, "but it's still not enough to overcome their Pet Dragon!"

"That's because I'm not done yet," Carly explained, grabbing a card from her hand and placing it onto her Duel Disk. "I'm casting a Spell - _Fortune Lady Calling!_ I can use its power to have one Fortune Lady I control call out another, and I know just which one I'll need to beat you! Come forth, Fortune Lady Fire!"

Earth smiled and raised her staff into the sky, creating a pillar of shadow through which another witch of fate emerged. Like Earth, her red dress was in tatters, split down the middle into a top and bottom half. Black and bat-like designs burst out from her waist, wrist, and head, and her hair was tied back into a ribboned ponytail. A red symbol of fate glowed softly on her forehead, and like the other Fortune Ladies, a pair of dark red ran down her cheeks.

 _Fortune Lady Fire - LV2 - FIRE - Spellcaster - (?/?)_

"Unlike Lady Earth, Fortune Lady Fire gains Two hundred Attack and Defense Points for each Level she has, which means her Attack Points increase to Four Hundred! And then the power of the her special ability-"

"-why bother with such a pathetic card?" Angela interrupted. "I think that fall of yours earlier must have knocked something loose! That card is even less of a match for my Harpies than your Fortune Lady Earth!"

"Where are your manners?" Carly asked. "You should have let me finish before mouthing off. Now I don't have to feel bad about this! I activate Lady Fire's special ability! As soon as she's Special Summoned, one of your monsters gets destroyed!"

"What did you say?!"

"And there's more dear Angela," Carly continued with a wicked grin, "because unfortunately, all the Attack Points of the monster you lose turn to damage, and I'm sure you already know which beast of yours I'm going to pick."

"B-But you can't!" Angela gasped, pleading desperately. in surprise, not at all looking forward to what was about to occur. Unfortunately for her, Carly no longer knew the meaning of mercy.

"Go, Lady Fire! Destroy Harpie's Pet Dragon, and teach Angela the meaning of the word _PAIN!_ "

The red-haired witch laughed as she leapt into the air, pulling her staff back behind her head before swinging it downward to release a torrent of raging flames. The swirling inferno burned through the garage, tearing through the floor between them before crashing into the Harpie's Pet Dragon and obliterating it in an instant. It then continued onward, its power only increased through the destruction of Angela's monster. It proceeded to crash into blonde with all of its fury, blasting her off of her feet with a single, ear-piercing shriek.

 _"GRUAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"_ Angela screamed, her back crashing against the surprisingly solid flames of the circle surrounding them. The collision knocked her forward once again, sending her onto her knees and later all fours as the flames burned away at her Life Points and skin.

 _ **CARLY - 4000 LP  
ANGELA - 800 LP**_

"I-Impossible..." Angela whimpered, staring at the laughing Carly with a horrified expression. "I've...never felt an attack like this. Not even when I was around a Psychic Duelist...!"

"You know why?" Carly asked, smirking as she gazed upon Angela's pathetic form. "The power of the shadows is limitless!"

"The Shadows...?" Angela asked, attempting to climb back to her feet but failing miserably. "Don't tell me...all that nonsense you've been saying is real?!"

"I warned you what you were getting into," Carly told her smugly. "Fate has decreed that I be your executioner, and now...it's time I performed my duty."

"No, Carly, wait-!"

But she wouldn't.

"Fortune Lady Earth!" she cackled, throwing her hand forward eagerly. "Let's wrap this up! Attack the Harpie Channeler and end this farce of a Duel! _Eternal Fate!_ "

Smiling, Lady Earth swung her staff in an upward arc, sending a shower of sharp stones shooting out from the ground. They pierced the smallest of the Harpie Ladies in an instant, shattering the red-haired girl into golden glass before proceeding on to the real prize: Angela herself.

With no mercy, they pierced the blonde with their pointed barrage, tormenting her endlessly just as she'd finally managed to right herself. With an anguished scream, she reeled backward, the force and pain of the blow flinging her from her feet and sending her once more onto the floor.

"C-Carly..." Angela whimpered, the monsters fading around them as the Duel came to an end.

 **CARLY - 4000 LP  
ANGELA - 0 LP**

"You lose, Angela," the Dark Signer said, walking toward her ominously.

"Ugh... W-What are you-?"

The sound of Carly's boot crashing into her hand cut Angela off, sending her into a pained scream of anguish as Carly rubbed it in deep.

"How does it feel," she asked while doing so, "being on the losing end, for once? Is everything you imagined it would be? Don't worry, you'll get used to it. After all, there's a lot more of that where you're going!"

"Carly, stop this!" Angela pleaded, grabbing the girl's ankle with her free hand. "Please!"

She glanced up, hoping to see a nervous or apologetic expression.

What she found was much worse.

It was Carly's black-eyed glare that met her, mouth twisted into a displeased frown that sent shivers down Angela's spine.

"I told you the stakes, warned you of the fate that awaited you," Carly said. "Don't think you can complain now that you've lost! Your soul has been forfeit...and the door to darkness has opened!"

The purple glow of her Hummingbird Mark burned hotter than ever before, and for a moment, Angela thought she saw the same glow in Carly's eyes. Before she had time to check, however, a new and far more dangerous problem arose.

The circle of fire...it was shrinking!

Inward and inward, the dark flames that had surrounded their duel began to close in on them, no - on her!

"W-What is this?!" Angela gasped, eyes wide with fear.

Carly watched with a grim smile, taking no notice of the flames as they passed through her on their way to their real target.

"How's this for tomorrow's headline?" she asked, laughing all the while. " _ANGELA RAINES: MISSING IN ACTION!_ "

With one last scream, the flames consumed Angela whole, and then - as quickly as they appeared - they were gone. Scorch marks were all that remained of the battle...

Scorch marks...and a single paper card.

Laughing softly to herself, Carly knelt down to pick it up.

"Not the worst work I've ever done," she admitted, grinning as she gazed upon the frightened facial artwork of Angela, whose soul was housed within, "but I still think I could've tortured you longer. Oh well, I suppose the monsters will just have to do that for me! I hope you enjoy your new home, Raines. Because you'll be there for a mighty long time!"

She deposited the card with the rest of those housing the souls of her victims, then turned on her heel to board her faithful Duel Runner.

"Now, who should I visit next?" she wondered aloud. The night was still young, and there were oh so many people she had left to destroy. Did she go after Chazz, for his part in creating the scandal that got her fired? Or did she get right to the point and start hunting down Signers? She never did get to have her Duel with dear Jackie...and the sooner she made him hers, the better.

No.

As much as she wanted to finish things with Jack, there was still one another issue to attend to. A person who would undoubtedly get in her way if she left him unscathed.

Konami Kodo. Her precious partner...and the man who killed her.

If the visions she'd seen were correct, then he had awoken as a Dark Signer himself, which made him a useful tool in destroying their eternal enemies - the Signers.

And yet, despite his awakening, he refused to take Jack's soul when he had the chance. Such carelessness was unacceptable, and meant that despite his power, he still denied the full strength of the Earthbound Immortal that now dwelled within him.

That would have to change.

"I'll be seeing you soon, my precious little K," Carly whispered, starting the engine so her Duel Runner roared to life. "And this time...you don't stand a chance!"

* * *

 _ **Chapter Seven - END**_

* * *

 _"It's time you came and joined me, Partner!"_

 _Having taken revenge on Angela, Dark Signer Carly sets her sights on Konami! To awaken the slumbering Earthbound within him, she forces her dear friend into a high-stakes, heart-pounding Turbo Duel! With the lives of the SoT and New Domino civilians at stake, what will come of this dark reunion?_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Konami and Carly! A Dark Reunion!**_

 _"Let's enjoy our future together!"_

* * *

 ** _Read & Review!_**


	8. Konami and Carly! A Dark Reunion!

_"Now, who should I visit next?" Carly wondered, asking herself the question that tormented her so._

 _The night was still young. The moon had yet to even reach its peak, and there were oh so many people left for her to destroy. Chazz Princeton, for instance, had yet to pay for his part in the so-called 'scandal' that got her fired. Then there were those fools who cut her off in traffic, and those people who kept looking at her strangely in WcDonald's, and-_

 _She stopped._

 _Why, oh why, was she worried about small fry when there were bigger fish to deal with? Fish like the Signers. Last she checked, they still existed in this world, spreading the taint of the Crimson Dragon and cursing her Earthbound's name. Did she leave the annoyances for later, then? Did she deal with the Signers immediately? It was an appealing thought. After all, the sooner Yusei and the other Signers were out of the way, the sooner Carly could focus on making Jack hers. In fact, now that she thought about it, she never got to have a duel with her beloved Jack, did she?_

 _Perhaps she could entertain him, play with him a while before dragging him down with her into the shadows..._

 _No._

 _Unfortunately, her personal desire would have to wait._

 _As much as she wanted to finish things with Jack, there was another issue she had to attend to first. An obstacle still blocked her path; a roadblock in the form of a man who would undoubtedly get in her way if she left him untouched._

 _That obstacle...was Konami Kodo._

 _Her oh so precious partner._

 _He was also the man who killed her, having bested her in combat during the first reenactment of the Signer War._

 _Of course, that little tidbit of information no longer mattered. After all, if the visions Carly had seen through Fortune Lady Past were to be believed, then it meant that Konami had also awoken as a Dark Signer, which would make him a very useful ally to have when dealing with the Crimson Dragon's servants. Carly had witnessed his skill with a Deck first-hand on numerous occasions; not only when they fought against each other nearly half a year ago, but before that as well, when they'd been hunting the Sacred Beasts._

 _He was no slouch when it came to dueling, and if the visions were true, his power had only grown since he'd been away. His latest victory against Jack made her heart skip a beat even now, and although she hadn't exactly been cheering for him when she first experienced the memory, Carly had to admit that she'd been quite impressed with what she saw._

 _Unfortunately, that only made it all the more infuriating when he didn't corrupt Jack like he should have! Weren't they supposed to be partners in this? Why hadn't he done what she'd have wanted and taken Jack in as one of their own, sparing Carly the effort of having to do so herself?!_

 _And all this drivel he'd been spouting about saving the world..._

 _Such nonsense from one of her allies was unacceptable, and proved beyond a doubt that despite using their power, Konami still had no idea what it meant to be a Dark Signer!_

 _That, more than anything else, was unforgivable._

 _He would have to be punished._

 _And who better to do it than the person in the city who knew him best?_

 _"So it's decided then," Carly said with a smirk, seating herself upon her Dark Duel Runner and starting its engine. "A little lesson for my partner, along with a punishment for not playing by the rules. Whatever shall I do to him, I wonder? Will I drive him to despair? Make him watch while I go after those weakling friends of his?"_

 _There were so many options, each more deliciously dark than the last. She'd have loved to do them all, but time was of the essence, and there was no telling if or when he'd catch wind of her scheme._

 _With that in mind, Carly did what she always did when facing a crisis._

 _She turned to the cards._

 _"Let's see what they have to say."_

 _She quickly withdrew and shuffled her Fortune Telling Deck, the Mark of the Shadows on her arm throbbing viciously as its power gave insight to the inner workings of fate._

 _"Konami Kodo," Carly whispered, eyes brimming with the power of the Immortal within, "your fortune for today is..."_

 _She reached down and drew the card._

 _It was Fortune Fairy En._

 _"Very Happy, huh?" Carly mused, the purple glow fading from her eyes. "I suppose that makes sense. As Dark Signers, we_ will _be the ones to rule this world, after all. There's no need to upset someone who'll be serving Jack and I in it. Then again, what is happiness without the pain that comes before? Ah, I see. So_ that's _the plan I should use."_

 _She shuffled En back into her Deck, slid the cards into her holster, and took hold of her Duel Runner's controls._

 _"I'll be seeing you soon, my precious partner..." she cackled. "And this time, you won't stand a chance!"_

 _Her wicked grin split her face, and she drove out the garage, vanishing into the empty streets beyond._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Eight**_

* * *

 _ **Konami and Carly! A Dark Reunion!**_

* * *

A few hours earlier, before Carly's duel with Angela, before the darkness took hold of her again, Konami Kodo sat solemnly before his old team, head bowed as he revealed what was to come.

"...and that's everything," he finished, gazing into their eyes with a dark, foreboding frown. "As you can see, we're in for quite a bit of trouble if we don't take this seriously."

"Great," Enzo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Barely been back a day and you're already throwing us into the fire, huh? Nothing's ever easy with you, is it?"

"Of course not," Konami told him. "A normal life would just be too boring, right?"

"Heh, so that's your plan then? Gather the Dark Signers and...what? Hope they'll somehow be enough to take on this E'Rah chick before she destroys us all?"

"Yes, but also no," Konami said. "I've got a back-up plan going with Yusei and the others as well. Now that they know what's at stake, I'm hoping that they'll use this time before the Grand Prix to grow stronger. Jack was already hard for me to beat in my current state. If E'Rah and her forces were able to overcome even that in the original timeline, then we all have a lot of growing to do."

"Right, that's another thing I wanna talk to you about," Enzo drawled. " _WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DUEL THE FORMER KING OF NEW DOMINO CITY AND NOT RECORD IT?! DON'T YOU WANNA BE POPULAR?!"_

A hand lashed out and smacked the boy on the back of his head.

"Idiot," Wisteria scoffed, folding her arms as she glared down at him. "After everything he just told you, _that's_ what you're choosing to complain about?"

"Don't give me that," Enzo barked, glaring back at her. "From what I remember, you were whining about it even more than I was! What was it you said again? Something about not being able to watch your precious Kokkun beat some piss ant down like the dirt-eating worm they were?!"

"W-Watch your language!" Wisteria cried with a blush, "There are children present!"

And indeed there were, for among the gathered group was not only the former Sacred Beast holder Alice, but the green-haired siblings, Leo and Luna, as well.

"Was Jack really okay with this?" Luna asked. "I don't think he's the type who'd be willing to put Carly and Ms. Simington in harm's way again."

"Why do you think we dueled?" Konami asked with a soft smile. "Our fight got pretty nasty, but in the end, it seems my will was just a little bit stronger than his was. He might not have liked the outcome, but he still gave me his blessing. His pride as a Duelist wouldn't accept anything less."

"And what about Yusei?!" Leo asked, eager to hear anything about his dueling idol. "Did he have anything to say, huh, huh?!"

"Just the usual," Konami said. "You know, that I could depend on them, that I should call him if I needed anything-"

"And do you?" Mathew suddenly asked from the corner, having watched over the proceedings silently until that point. "Need anything, I mean. If all of this hinges on you winning a tournament like the WRGP, then it's not like you can just walk in empty-handed, you know. You'll need top-of-the-line Duel Runners, a maintenance team, the whole works! I hate to say it, but unless one of us has been holding out all this time, our little group here won't be enough. I mean, I know I don't know anything about Duel Runners, and if I don't, I doubt Enzo here can do any better!"

"And just what is that supposed to mean, eh?!" Enzo asked, face twitching from the veiled insult.

"It means we need resources," Alice explained, swaying from side to side as she threw in her two cents. "You know, like money!"

"Money?" Enzo asked, turning his gaze to Wisteria. "Isn't that what you're here for?"

"Excuse me?!" Wisteria snapped, "I might be the heiress to my father's company, but that doesn't mean I'm made out of gold, you know! Besides, the Fujiwara Foundation is already sponsoring Team Kojima as part of our partnership with their Robotics Company. It's unfortunate, but any help I might have been able to persuade my father into giving us has already been devoted to them."

"So basically you're saying that you're useless," Enzo realized.

"Still more useful than you are!" Wisteria complained, stamping her foot with a huff. "Konami, tell him!"

"Settle your differences," Konami said, declining her request. "I'm not here to play peacemaker for you. Besides, if it's about being useful, you both perform your duties well. As my moral support, that is."

"WHAT?!"

"Huh?!"

"Anyway," he continued, speaking particularly to Mathew and the kids. "If it's about resources, I'm already working an angle. It's not certain yet, but a chance encounter I had earlier gave me a few ideas."

"A chance encounter?" Luna asked, "With who?"

"An old friend of mine, back from when I was chillin' out with my crew in the school yard," Konami explained. "Y'know? Findin' trouble, never workin' too hard?"

" _Oh God,_ " Wisteria groaned, "It wasn't Jaden, was it? Tell me it wasn't Jaden!"

"It wasn't Jaden," Konami laughed. "Actually, I'm surprised you haven't heard from him. You two used to run in pretty similar circles, after all."

"Chazz, then. Great," she replied. Her words caught up with her a moment later, "Wait! You ran into Chazz? Here?! In New Domino City?!"

"Yeah. We pulled up next to each other at a stop light while I was on my way to see Carly," he said. "Dude still has his black jacket. Still eats like a slob, too. We stopped by WcDonald's, did a little catching up. I haven't exactly told him everything about what's going on yet, though. I was actually planning on dropping by his place sometime tomorrow to see if he could help, and if that didn't work, I figured I could ask Alexis if she'd be able to put in a good word for me. A sponsorship from DA could prove useful."

"Alexis?! You're still in contact with that harpy?!"

"Well, she is a teacher now, so she has a little bit of weight to throw around. I figured it might be useful-"

" _Uuuuuugggggggggggggghhhhh..."_ Wisteria groaned.

"What's the matter, Wis?" Enzo asked smugly, "Afraid some ex-girlfriend is gonna swoop in and steal your man away?"

"S-Shut up! That's not it! I'm just a little frustrated that my lack of resources is forcing him to try and use _hers_ , that's all!"

"Uh huh, sure."

"I'm serious!"

"Yeah, sure you are."

As the two devolved into yet another argument, Konami turned his gaze from them and sighed, only to feel a sudden tugging on his sleeve. He glanced down to find Luna's curious stare gazing back at him, no doubt ready to ask some difficult question.

"Um, by Chazz, do you mean the Pro Duelist Chazz Princeton?" She asked.

"Yeah, him and I go way back, why?"

"Uh, because he just caused a huge scene on the news, that's why!" Leo explained, running across the room to join them.

"A scene on the news?" Konami asked, "He seemed fine when I saw him earlier. What happened?"

Luna stepped back in, "It was during Lazar's reveal of the Combat Lane for the upcoming Tag Tournament. Carly was interviewing him and, well...let's just say it didn't end very well."

"Carly _and_ Chazz? Well, doesn't that sound like a volatile combination?" Wisteria asked. "What went wrong?"

"Well..." Luna tapped her chin, thinking back on what she'd heard.

"They're still playing it on WGGK! Here, I've got it on my phone!" Leo interrupted, jumping around her and pushing the device up into Konami's face.

"Ah, hey! Leo!" Luna complained, but she wasn't truly upset.

Taking the phone with a mumbled thanks, Konami glanced at the video's title - _**BUSINESS OR PLEASURE? SCANDAL AT COMBAT LANE!**_ \- and pressed play.

A static and blurry image whirred to life, flickering into focus to reveal a rapid-fire interview between the aforementioned Chazz and Carly.

 _"But hasn't Syrus beaten you consistently ever since he debuted as a Pro?" Carly asked._

 _"Ughk...!" Chazz sputtered._

 _"In fact, now that it's come up, hasn't your record taken hit after hit these past few years? A loss to Truesdale, a loss to Wheeler...ah, not that it's anything to be ashamed of! Everyone loves a good underdog story!"_

 _"U-Underdog?!" Chazz barked. "J-Just who do you think you're talking to here?! I'm not an underdog! I'm the Chazz! I've won plenty of awards, participated in countless tournaments!"_

 _"But do you have a girlfriend?!" Carly pressed. She pushed her camera up into his face, "Everyone's been wondering since you first appeared on Miss Heartthrob Magazine, but you've always refused to comment!"_

 _"G-Girlfriend?! T-That's enough, this interview is over!"_

 _"Ah, wait!" Carly shouted, reaching out to bring him back._

Konami winced as the girl on screen suddenly tripped, ripping away Chazz's sleeve as she fell. She crashed to the floor with a splash, and for a moment, Konami had the gall to think it was actually over.

He really should've known better.

The punch bowl behind Carly suddenly tilted over, spilling across her body and dying her clothes bloody red.

 _"T-That was my lucky jacket," Chazz breathed, glaring at the poor girl. "Y-You...WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"_

 _Carly then slipped again, kicking Chazz in the face._

"Oof," Konami said. "That must've hurt. Still, this is..."

"...who you're planning on saving the world with?" Mathew interrupted, "She certainly doesn't seem to be the serious type, does she?"

"She might be a bit of a klutz, but when it comes to dueling, she's decent enough." Konami said.

"I dunno," Mathew continued. "She looks like the type who comes in strong, only to screw up and ruin everything at the last minute. Are you absolutely sure you want someone like that on your team?"

"Listen, I get that vid might not give the best impression, but Carly's my friend. I know her better than some thirty second news report some jerk compiled. She might not be the best people person, but she definitely has what it takes to win a Duel! If she didn't, she wouldn't have been chosen as a Dark Signer in the first place. And speaking of which," Konami shifted his gaze back to the video, frowning at his two friends' humiliating appearance, "I should probably check in on her and make sure she's doing alright. As funny as this might be to some people, she and Chazz probably aren't laughing."

"Oh, please," Wisteria sighed, "Chazz is a big boy. He can take care of himself."

"It's not Chazz I'm worried about," he replied. "It's Carly. I should pay her a visit, see how she's holding up."

"Do you have to?" Wisteria asked, "I was hoping we'd be able to sit in and enjoy each other's company for once!"

"Aw, what's the matter?" Enzo asked with a wide grin, "Afraid he's gonna start spending all his time with other women and forget about you? Even if that does happen, you shouldn't be too worried. You'll still have me, after all- _urghk! WHY?!_ "

Wisteria had jabbed him in the gut, scowling at the mere thought of doing lovey dovey things with someone like _him_.

"If you didn't want to be hit, you should have minded your manners!" she lectured, dusting off her hands. "And as for you, Konami-"

"To be honest, I've already stayed here longer than I intended to," he told her. "I explained everything about E'Rah and the Dark Signers to Carly earlier, and I told her that I'd pay her another visit once she'd had some time to think. I also might've left her with that Fortune Lady card the Crimson Dragon created, so I don't want to leave her alone for too long. Even less so now that she's gone and humiliated herself on live TV!"

"Are you afraid something will happen?" Luna asked worriedly.

"I can't deny that it's a possibility," he repled. "Until she's remembered what she's capable of, and more importantly, agreed to use that power to help us out, she's my responsibility. If something happens - if she suddenly goes over the edge and hurts somebody because of what I told her, and it happened because I wasn't there to stop it - then that makes it my fault. Like it or not, I can't afford to just blow her off."

There was a brief silence in the room as his words sunk in, and then, a soft sigh fell from Wisteria's lips.

"Very well," she said reluctantly, "I understand your concerns...and accept your explanation. Go ahead and check on Carly. We can talk later, Kokkun."

"We'll hang out here a little longer in case you need us for anything," Mathew told him, "not that I'd expect we'll be able to do much. In an hour or two I'll have to get Alice and the twins back home though, so try not to keep us in the dark for too long."

"Hopefully I won't need to," Konami said with a nod, smiling as he handed Leo back his phone. He then proceeded to pull his own, scrolling through his Contacts list until he reached Carly's profile.

He hit Call.

"I'll be back in a bit," he told the group as it began dialing. "Don't wait up for me, later!"

He stepped outside, phone still vibrating as he proceeded down the steps and into the parking lot where he kept his Duel Runner. The ringback tone finally stopped as he reached his ride, transitioning to the message Carly made for her voicemail.

 _"-Hello, this is Carly Carmine here! I'm not available right now, so leave a message with your name and number after the beep! Beep!"_

"Hey Carly, I saw what happened at the press reveal," Konami said. "Wanted to check in and see how you were doing. Also, I know it might be a bad time, but I wanted to continue the conversation we had earlier. If you're around, let's meet up at your workplace. We can have a good laugh about the whole thing and talk about what you've decided. Just let me know, thanks!"

He hung up.

 _'Guess she's pretty busy dealing with the fallout,'_ he thought, sliding the phone back into his pocket.

He leapt onto his Duel Runner and cranked the engine, then proceeded to reverse out the parking lot. He glanced once more at the apartment as he reached the street, smiling softly as he caught sight of Wisteria waving at him through the window. He waved back, then turned and cast his gaze toward the road. His eyes narrowed as he stared down the busy street. Then, he hit the accelerator and took off, shooting down the strip with a rising bang. The world around him vanished, mixing into a blur of color and cars.

Then he was off, descending into the chaos of New Domino Traffic.

He swerved in and out of his lane, using his Duel Runner's size and mobility to slide between cars. Such maneuvers would easily earn him a ticket if he got caught, but he couldn't be bothered to follow the rules when someone like Lazar was the one writing them. Cheating happily, he spun onto Tops Lane and followed the road, only to cut left once he reached the Turnpike that would take him downtown. Said district was responsible for housing the Daily Duel headquarters, as well as several hundred members of its competition. That meant there were rows of advertisements plastered on each and every street, which - when combined with the glittering buildings that only the rich could afford - made for quite the spectacle.

It was a nightmare on the eyes, particularly in the evening, when the setting sun flared off the glassy walls and bathed the scenery in its blinding orange rays. It caused quite the number of accidents each week, and it seemed like today was no different.

It took Konami a torturous two hours to break through the evening chaos, and by the time he finally pulled into the parking lot downtown, most of the tourists had already left. The streets were growing empty, and only those dutiful souls remained at large, working endlessly for that extra buck that would last them one more day.

Carly was one such soul, it seemed. Her van was still parked in the Daily Duel parking lot, unmoving even as the occasional passerby spent a moment studying its form.

 _'They must like the design,'_ Konami thought, climbing off his ride as he turned to face the building.

The news facility sat tall and imposing in the dimming light, glowing with a dark and ethereal shine that could only be found at the eve of dusk. Konami stepped toward its entrance easily, pulling out his phone to dial Carly again.

For the second time, he was met by her cheery voicemail. Perhaps she was busy with work?

"Hey Carly, it's Konami again." He said, "I'm here at the Daily Duel; I see your car out front. Ah, whatever. I'm about to come up, so I'll see you in a minute."

He slid the phone back into his pocket when he was done, then stepped through the sliding entrance and into the building's empty lobby.

Wait, empty?

That couldn't be right.

It was only about eight, no - nine o'clock! A receptionist was always on duty until ten, even if it was just to tell visitors that they were closed for the night. More importantly, nine was usually when most of the mid-shift reporters started taking off. Where were all the bustling suits? The lovely ladies and gruff anchors?

Hell, even the janitor was missing!

"Are they having some sort of meeting upstairs?" he wondered aloud, calling down an elevator. It took no time at all for one to respond, further proof that something big must have been keeping everyone occupied.

 _'I'll bet anything it has something to do with that Chazz story,'_ Konami sighed, stepping inside the metal box and pushing the button for floor four. That, he recalled, was where all the journalists worked, which meant it was the most likely place for him to find Carly. He stood silently as the elevator rumbled to life, climbing up the building with a slow and noisy crawl.

It went up to floor...

Then passed floor three...

Then, four.

The elevator finally came to a stop, dinging softly before releasing the locks and sliding its doors wide open. Konami stepped out, eager to see or speak to anyone, only to find himself gazing down another empty hallway.

"Okay, what the hell?" he asked.

There was no way the employee section was empty too, not when all of their cars were still down in the parking lot! Did they all just up and leave? Had someone said, "Screw the nine o'clock news, let's go get some churros!" and led the group out into the city for a night of drunken debauchery?

Something weird was going on, and Konami was starting to feel that he wouldn't like what.

 _'Behind you!'_ the dark rumble of Exodius called out from within.

Eyes widening, he spun on his heel, just in time to watch someone flee down another corridor.

"Hey, who's there?!" he called after them, immediately giving chase.

As he turned around that first corner, Konami realized that whoever they were, they were quick. No sooner had he turned down a hallway did they cut through another, forcing him into a game of cat-and-mouse.

"Stay back!" the runner screamed eventually, a trembling terror echoing through his voice. "J-Just leave me alone!"

"I'm not trying to hurt you!" Konami shouted. "I just want some answers!"

"Y-You're lying!" the runner called back, "You want to kill me, just like she does!"

 _'She?'_ Konami thought, mouth twisting into a frown at the words. "Enough of this. It's time I tripped you up! _Fiendish Chain,_ do your thing!"

Slapping the named Trap onto his Duel Disk, Konami watched as a single jagged cord of metal shot through the hallway and lashed at the fleeing boy's ankles. They knocked him off-balance, sending him crashing face-first to the floor with a pained and frightened shout. Konami used that moment to close the gap between them, and once he had the boy cornered, he shoved him painfully to the wall.

"Gotcha!" he shouted as he did, glaring into the frightened boy's eyes. "Now spill! Where is everyone, and what do you mean when you said I was trying to kill you?!"

"You can't fool me!" the boy shouted, shaking his head furiously. "I know who you are! You're Carly's partner, and if you're here, then she must be close behind!"

"Carly? What's she got to do with this?!" Konami asked, dreading the answer.

"Y-You mean you really don't know?" the boy whimpered, curling in on himself for even daring to feel the slightest bit of hope.

"Know what? You keep sputtering, but you're not telling me anything! What happened here? Why are you so frightened? Where is everyone?! Did Carly have something to do with this?"

"S-She's completely lost it, man!" the boy finally said, grasping his head in fear. "Mr. Pitts fired her after she went and ripped that Pro's lucky jacket, but she came back in a few minutes later all decked out in black, dude! She started talking about how she'd have her revenge and - and then she started offing people, man!"

Konami gasped, his eyes widening in grim realization. _'Dressed in black, screaming about revenge?! Whatever happened after the news hit must have driven her over the edge! She's done it! She's reawakened as a Dark Signer!'_

"Where did she go?!" He asked the boy, grabbing him by the shoulders roughly, "Tell me!"

"I-I don't know! She said if I told anyone, I'd - _I'd_ \- _Uwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!_ " the boy suddenly screamed, his body erupting in purple flames before Konami's very eyes. He leapt backward in shock, shielding his eyes as the flames consumed the boy whole with a terrible, shrieking roar. In seconds, the entire body had been erased, leaving nothing but scorch marks and a single falling card behind.

"I-I don't believe it... He's been turned into a card!" Konami shouted.

A cold and callous laughter then filled the hallway, surrounding Konami from all sides. A creeping darkness trickled through the edge of his vision, and somehow, he knew...this was it.

 _"You say that like you haven't seen it happen before,"_ a dark yet familiar voice purred from the shadows. _"Really now, aren't you supposed to be an expert when it comes to this sort of thing?"_

"Carly, is that you?!" Konami asked, circling around to see if he could catch any sign of her.

 _"The one and only,"_ her voice replied, " _but don't bother trying to find me. I left the Daily Duel a lifetime ago. Had bigger fish to fry; the blonde, annoying, reporting kind of fish!"_

"You've gone after the reporter who wrote the article on you, didn't you?" Konami realized. "Don't hurt her Carly, you'll only regret it later!"

 _"A little late for regret, if you ask me."_ Carly cackled.

"You-! What have you done?!"

 _"The same thing I did to the employees of the Daily Duel!"_ she said, _"The same thing I'm going to do to your friends if you don't get here quick! Tick tock, partner. Time's wasting! Oh, and before you get any funny ideas about asking the Signers to help you, I suggest you take a look at your phone."_

It buzzed just as Carly mentioned it, and Konami pulled it out to find that he'd received a text message from her.

Only it wasn't a text.

It wasn't a text at all!

It was a picture.

More specifically, it was a picture of Luna and Alice. They were unconscious, hanging off of opposite sides of the apartment roof with nothing but a rope to keep them alive!

His eyes widened.

 _"This is between you and me, Red Hat!"_ Carly said, _"If you don't want anything to happen to these children, I suggest you keep it that way!"_

 _ **-5D's-**_

He'd never driven so fast in his life.

The streets and landmarks were nothing but blurs, and even the sound of his own roaring engine was drowned out by the beating of his heart.

How could he have let this happen?

He had promised Jack that everything would turn out alright, and not a few hours later, he'd gone and ruined everything!

He shouldn't have left Carly alone. In doing so, he'd all but given the darkness a free shot at taking her, and it seemed to have done just that.

The Daily Duel was gone, and so was Angela Raines.

All those people...

 _'And unless I do something quick, Alice and Luna will join them!'_ he thought.

He swerved into his parking lot, only to force his ride into a sharp right to avoid the circle of flame that surrounded the apartment.

"Damn it!" he cursed, glaring as he thought of the building and the people trapped within.

"""Konami!""" the voice of his friends called out to him, dragging his attention from the blaze.

"What happened?" he asked as they approached. "How did she get Luna and Alice?!"

"I-I was just about to take them all home," Mathew muttered, clenching his fist angrily as he spoke. "We had just gotten into my car and pulled out of the parking lot, when... When that messed up friend of yours went and rammed her Duel Runner right into us!"

"She completely totaled his car!" Enzo said, pointing behind them to where the white Toyota Tundra lay. It was flipped over onto its side, bleeding with a hot gray smoke as it sat there, surrounded by bits and pieces of its own metal flesh.

"Before we even had a chance to grab our bearings, she broke in and took the girls!" Mathew continued. "I couldn't do anything to stop her! I could barely move, let alone put up a fight!"

"Why's she doing this?!" Enzo asked, "I thought this power of hers was supposed to be under control?!"

"No. It was my hope, but...it seems that video we saw had more consequences than I thought. Her boss fired her for causing a scandal once she got back from the event. It must have sent her over the edge and reawakened her Mark of the Shadows. She took the souls of everyone who worked with her at the Daily Duel, and it seems like she went after the reporter who wrote the article about her, too."

"What are we gonna do?!" Leo asked, slightly bruised, but otherwise fine. "You're not gonna let her keep my sister, are you?!"

"Of course not," Konami said, putting on a confident smile that he didn't really feel. "Everything will be alright. I'll get Alice and Luna back, and knock some sense into Carly while I'm at it!"

"You'd better," Mathew growled, "because if anything happens to either of them, I'm doing what you said and holding you accountable!"

"Be careful," Wisteria told him. "You've seen first-hand how the Dark Signers can be. Don't put your guard down around her, no matter how much you may want to!"

"I know," Konami said. "I'll be back soon, hopefully with the kids."

He turned his gaze away from them and stared into the flames that burned ahead. Maybe it was just his imagination, but they seemed to part when he gazed into them, almost as if they were inviting him inside.

If they had truly been summoned through Carly's power, then maybe they were.

Scowling, he revved the engine of his Duel Runner and rode it forward into the flames. Flickers of heat and smoke licked at his body as he passed through, but before anything could stick, he emerged from the other side, breaking into the inner parking lot.

Carly sat waiting for him within, perched upon her very own Duel Runner. As he drew near, her black gaze began to glow with glee, and her lips curled upward into a vicious smirk.

"Well, well, well..." she purred, "looks who's finally decided to show up. I was starting to think you weren't coming."

"Carly..." Konami murmured, eyes softening as he gazed upon her tantalizing yet treacherous figure.

"What's with the look?" she asked. "Like what you see?"

"No," he said. "To be honest, I'd hoped I'd never see you like this again."

"Well, we can't always get what we wish for, can we? Besides, it's really your fault I'm like this to begin with."

"I know that. Your being here is only due to my own actions. I have no one to blame for this but myself."

"Well, isn't that rather responsible of you?"

Konami frowned, "Where are Alice and Luna? You haven't hurt them, have you?"

"And spare you the honor of doing it yourself? Give me a little credit," Carly spat. "The girls are fine. For now, that is. You wanna see 'em?"

She snapped her fingers, triggering the many lights that lined the apartment walls. In an instant, the darkened building had been completely illuminated, revealing the hanging and limp forms of Luna and Alice above.

The two girls were unconscious, bound on opposite sides of the building by three lines of the rough, straw-based rope. They appeared to be battered and bruised, no doubt a result of the collision that had rendered them unconscious in the first place, but beyond that, they were fine.

Still, that didn't stop Konami from gasping as he caught sight of the two.

"Like my decorations?" Carly asked as he did, "I had them strung up, just for you."

"Was stealing the souls of your coworkers not enough for you?" He asked, "Did you have to go after the children as well?!"

"Of course," she replied. "One of them is a Signer, after all. But don't worry, if it's their souls you're worried about, then you'll be happy to know that theirs are still intact. I might have roughed them up a little, but I didn't challenge anyone here to a Shadow Duel. They were just an appetizer to sate my thirst; something to pass the time while I waited for the real main course to appear."

"Let them go, Carly. It doesn't have to be like this. We don't have to fight!"

"Oh, but we do," she told him. "Not only do you and I have unfinished business, but despite having a Mark of the Shadows yourself, you still don't seem to realize what it truly means to be a Dark Signer! We are the eternal enemies of the Crimson Dragon, and yet, you blatantly hang around them, acting like they're your friends! You even let one of them escape after defeating them in a Shadow Duel...something that's completely unacceptable!"

"A Shadow Duel?" Konami asked. "You mean my fight with Jack?"

"That's right," Carly said with a growing smile. "Glad to see we're on the same page. You beat Jack by using the power of Wiraqocha Rasca, but you didn't finish him off. You allowed one of our most powerful enemies to escape the wrath of the Immortals, and now, you're going to have to pay the price."

"The price? Is that why you've taken Alice and Luna?!"

"Bingo! You wanna be friends with the Signers and save the world with them? Fine, but there'll have to be a sacrifice worthy of that decision!"

She snapped her fingers, making one of the ropes that kept Luna and Alice from falling burn away like nothing.

"Ah...!" Konami gasped, glancing back toward the roof in shock.

"Two paths lie before you. One of light. One of dark." Carly explained, "To choose one is to deny the other, and both cannot be walked. To the east lies Alice, the younger sister of your dear friend. To the west lies Luna, servant of the Crimson Dragon! When both fall, one shall be saved. The other will not."

"You're saying you want me to choose?!" Konami snarled. "You're insane if you think I'll let you hurt either of them!"

"Oh, am I, now?" Carly inquired, eyes alight with manic glee. "Let's see. Your Duel Runner can go from zero to sixty in about what? Two and a half, maybe three seconds?"

Konami grimaced.

"From where these two are standing, it'll only take about five for them to hit the ground. Are you saying you're fast enough to save them both? If you're that confident, then what do you say we bring in an audience?"

"...What?"

Carly snapped her fingers once more, releasing the circle of flames surrounding them and inviting the team inside. They all gasped as they stared at the scene, the positions of the two girls and Konami's frustrated expression painting a bleak and bloody picture.

"This is...!" Wisteria whispered, "Konami, what's going on here?!"

"She wants me to choose."

Another of the ropes holding the girls burnt away, leaving a single cord hanging between them and a fatal fall.

"Stop this Carly, don't do it!" Konami shouted.

"The rules have been stated, and the game's begun!" Carly laughed. "There's no stopping this anymore, Konami! Choose to save one, or be forced to lose them both!"

The last rope burned away with a final snap of her fingers, and through the visor of his helmet, Konami watched the two kids fall.

" _NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_ he screamed, revving his engine and taking off toward the east end of the apartment.

"He's going after Alice!" Mathew cried in relief.

No, he wasn't _going_ after Alice. He already had her!

Kicking things into overdrive, Konami lifted the front end of his Duel Runner and accelerated up the handicapped ramp. He leapt off of it a moment later, his ride easily tearing through the railing as it cut through the air and soared toward Alice. His hand reached outward as they drew close, and just as they passed each other, he took hold of her arm, swinging her onboard before crashing back to the ground.

"He caught her!" Enzo shouted as he watched Konami spin around, using his vehicle's momentum to continue accelerating toward the west end.

"But he won't have enough time to reach Luna!" Leo shouted desperately. "She'll hit the ground before he can get there!"

"You're wrong!" Konami roared, glaring at the Mark on his arm. "I will save them both!"

He reached for a card, pain pulsing through his Mark as he sent its energy into his Deck.

"I don't know which card you are," he shouted, "but don't let me down!"

He drew a card and immediately threw it down onto his Duel Runner's board, eyes widening as a golden light appeared before him.

The blob-shaped form of Marshmallon then emerged, leaping forward through the air to snatch Luna from the jaws of death. It caught the girl gently between its sharp and pointed teeth, then fell back to the ground, rolling over to shoulder the brunt of the fall. Its soft and malleable shape easily protected Luna from being hurt, and once the two had finally stopped skidding across the concrete, it vanished, leaving the girl safe and sound.

Carly laughed in delight, her hands clapping together in a long, drawn out cheer.

"Well done!" she praised, "I didn't think you'd actually manage to do it!"

Konami was silent.

Without a word, he brought his Duel Runner to a stop, parking it in front of Mathew and the others as he left Alice in their capable hands. Leo was already gathering Luna, crying happily in seeing her safe, even though she had yet to regain consciousness.

"Luna, thank goodness...!"

"That was way too close..." Konami growled. "If it wasn't for this Mark letting me summon real monsters, then..."

There was no doubt about it.

Luna would have died just now.

She would have dragged down into the Netherworld...and it would have been his fault.

"Konami-kun," Wisteria tried, unsure of what to say to comfort the man seated before her.

"Shall we begin Round Two?" Carly interrupted, not yet wanting to end her fun.

Something dark swelled up within Konami then.

His gaze snapped toward Carly, and his eyes went wide with unbridled fury. His lips dripped with rage, twisted into a serious, bloody snarl that betrayed his innermost desires. Carly's own eyes widened at the sight of it, her smile splitting her face in two as she felt herself drip with glee.

"That's it!" she laughed, "That's the expression I wanted to see! The feeling you're experiencing, the anguish, the pain! Relish it, Konami! For that is what it means to be a Dark Signer!"

" _Shut up!_ " he roared, trembling in the wake of his raging, righteous fury. "Don't you realize what you did just now?! They're just children, and yet you...!"

"I what?" Carly asked. "Hurt them? Put them in danger? No, Konami. This was your doing. You were the one who wanted this to happen. You were the one who gave me the card that reawakened my heart, and you were the one who dragged me back into the shadows. Don't try and pretend to be the hero now, because we both know what you really desire. The power of the Dark Signers beckons you...and I am the only one who can unleash it."

"You're right..." Konami growled, still trembling despite her words. "I know you're right! All the souls you've taken...! All the people you've hurt...! They're all victims of my recklessness, but even so... _there's no way I can just stand aside now that you've appeared before me!_ "

"Then come, Konami!" Carly screamed, starting her Duel Runner and driving out the parking lot. "Embrace me, so that we may dance together in the darkness of this world!"

"Tch... Fine!" he raged, launching his vehicle toward her and accelerating.

"Konami, wait!" Wisteria shouted after him, but it was no use. He only had eyes for Carly now, and the terror she'd cause if left unchecked.

The two Dark Signers clashed as they raced through the streets, picking up speed as their Marks glowed viciously in the night. The singing howls of their engines were all they could hear, the cacophony of the cars and pedestrians around them blown away by their own dark cravings and needs.

The two of them were all that mattered.

No Jack.

No Wisteria.

Just Konami and Carly; and the dark fate that bound them.

"Catch me!" Carly screamed, eyes ablaze with desire as she cut through an alley, unable to stop.

"I will!" Konami roared, giving chase.

He pulled up alongside her, their Runners sparking and clashing against the other as they shot down the passage, unable to stop.

"I'm putting an end to this!" he roared. "To you and Aslla Piscu!"

"Do it, if you can!" Carly screamed back at him.

"I will do it! I'll beat you!"

"Then I'll beat you more!"

Sparks flew as their Duel Runners collided, until finally, Konami broke away, taking the lead.

"For your own sake, and for all the people you've hurt...we're settling this now! With a Duel!"

"Then I'll gladly accept your challenge!" Carly replied. "And with your defeat, I'll make you realize just how foolish you've been up till now! You'll become my partner once more, and we'll embrace this future of ours, together!"

Their Marks burned hotter and heavier than ever before, and as they finally escaped the restraints of the alley, it happened.

Purple flames ripped through the city, erupting the streets in the form of a fierce, fighting hummingbird. A second set of flames then engulfed the first, tracing new lines through the screaming masses and trapping its victims within the Mark of the Condor.

 _'Just like half a year ago...when the first reenactment happened!'_ Konami realized.

But he couldn't care about that. Not when Carly's Dark Signer self was racing right behind him. Not when she was so eager and willing to hurt more people!

The two stared at each other, their faces twisted into separate but equally extreme emotions. Finally, the silence broke, and the two roared out to each other as one.

 _ **""DUEL!""**_

 _ **KONAMI VS CARLY**_

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
CARLY - 4000 LP**_

"I'll be taking the first move!" Konami snarled, pulling ahead with a roar of his engine. He passed through a red street light, taking it as his first victory over Carly in their new, high-speed battle.

 **TURN ONE - KONAMI - 4000 LP - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 1 SPC**

"I summon the Heavy Knight of the Flame in Attack Mode!" he shouted, placing the card face-up on his Duel Disk.

A loud and booming neigh filled the air, accompanying the roar of his Duel Runner as the sound of galloping hooves drew near. Suddenly, a red-eyed horse leapt onto the scene from behind, racing between the two Duelists with its spiked chariot in tow. Upon it stood a fiery figure wielding a flaming sword, clad in an iron armor that kept his rage in check.

 _Heavy Knight of the Flame - LV4 - FIRE - Zombie - (1800/200)_

"Next, I'll set three face-down cards!" Konami continued, a trio of holograms materializing alongside his racing Duel Runner.

"That's all?" Carly asked, "I expected more from you, partner!"

"If you think my field's not enough, then go ahead and charge right in!" he shouted back at her. "See what happens!"

"Don't mind if I do," Carly chuckled. "It's my turn now. I draw!"

 **TURN TWO - CARLY - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 2 SPC**

"And now I'm Special Summoning, because the card I drew is my Fortune Fairy Ann!" she explained, revealing the card to the man racing in front of her. "When I draw this card and reveal it, I can call it straight to the Field! So now that you're aware, why don't you go ahead and give a warm welcome to this wicked little friend of mine?!"

She slapped the card upon her Duel Runner's Duel Disk; grinning as the small and purple fairy appeared with a frown on her lips.

 _Fortune Fairy Ann - LV5 - DARK - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"Next, her special ability activates! Since she was Special Summoned, it allows me to banish a Spellcaster from my Deck, and I have just the one in mind!" She shuffled through her Deck, grabbing and revealing her chosen card. "My Fortune Lady Earth! And if you think I'm ending things there, you couldn't be more wrong, because now I'll remove the two Speed Counters I have to activate a Speed Spell in my hand!"

"Slowing down already?" Konami asked her, "And here I thought we were in for a good time!"

"It's true that my Duel Runner's max speed will slow the less Speed Counters I have," Carly agreed, her Duel Runner falling even farther behind Konami's as she spoke, "but my game couldn't be any faster, because the card I'm playing is Fortune's Future! This card lets me send one of my banished Fortune Ladies in the Graveyard, and it gets even better, because then I'm allowed to draw two cards!"

"Tsk, so that's what you were planning!"

"And there's a lot more where that came from," Carly said. "But before we get to it, it's time I performed a little fortune-telling! Here I go, my first draw!"

She grabbed the top card of her Deck and pulled it free. She then turned it over in her hand, revealing it to herself before smirking and showing it to Konami as well.

"The card I drew was my Fortune Fairy En, and since she's a Fortune Fairy, you know what that means! Since I've revealed her, I get to Special Summon her to the field! Come on out, En! Let's burn this world to ash!"

She placed the card onto the Monster Slot beside Ann, smiling as the crimson red fairy appeared to burn some new colors onto her field.

 _Fortune Fairy En - LV2 - FIRE - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"And let me guess," Konami glowered, "since she's been Special Summoned, she gets to use some sort of effect?"

"Right in one," Carly replied, taking one hand off her controls to throw it forward eagerly. "Fortune Fairy En's effect lets me destroy a face-down card on the field, and since you've done me the pleasure of placing three of them, I think I'll pick the card furthermost on my left!"

Fortune Fairy En swung her cute pink staff in the direction Carly declared, releasing a small spark of fire that blazed through the streets. It cut a path toward Konami's side of the Field, and he grimaced as it approached, quickly accelerating to put some space between him and the point of impact.

It collided with the declared card just seconds later, shattering the face-down _Gemini Counter_ and sending its remains scattering across the road.

Carly quickly swerved to the left to avoid the scattering gold pieces, knowing that since they were competing in a Shadow Duel, it was entirely possible that running over the remains would poke a hole in her tires.

"Congratulations," Konami scoffed as she did, still speeding ahead of her to keep the lead. "You broke a card, but if that's all you've got, then this Duel will be over in no time!"

"This Duel _will_ be over in no time," Carly agreed, "but I'm the one who'll be winning it! I continue Fortune's Future's effect! I now draw my second card!"

She reached for the top card of her Deck once more, flipping it over to reveal its form.

"Hehehahaha..." she cackled, "Once again, fortune smiles upon me! The card I drew..." she whispered, holding it up between her index and middle finger as she spoke, "is Fortune Fairy Swee!"

She placed a third Fortune Fairy face-up alongside En and Ann, grinning as an apathetic blue fairy joined the others on her field.

 _Fortune Fairy Swee - LV4 - WATER - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"Now, shall I tell you whose fortunes I've decoded through these cards?" she asked.

"Not interested!" Konami shouted. "I know just how wicked your tales can be from my last duel with you! I'm not listening to any of your tricks!"

"Then maybe you'll listen to Fortune Fairy Swee's effect!" Carly said, throwing her hand aside as she gestured to her blue fairy. "Since she's also been Special Summoned, her special ability activates, letting me banish a monster of yours far into the future! So say goodbye to your Heavy Knight of the Flame, because you won't be seeing him for some time!"

The knight and his galloping horse grunted in surprise at the words, turning back to glance back at the girl only to suddenly find themselves struck by a wave of flowing water. It doused the raging flames burning within the knight, slowing his horse to walking speeds and forcing him to leave the Duel behind. Carly cackled as her Duel Runner past the monster by, leaving Konami with no monsters on his field, and only a couple of tricky face-downs.

"Tsk, you'll pay for that!" he told Carly with a glare.

"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport." Carly replied, "Your precious horseman will be back. Once my next Standby Phase rolls around, Fortune Fairy Swee's effect will end! Of course, that's assuming you last that long. Given what I'm about to do next, you might not even have a next turn!"

"What?" Konami asked, casting his gaze away from the road ahead to stare at the approaching girl behind him. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Why don't you take a look at my field and find out, partner?" Carly asked. "I have three monsters ready to go, and I haven't even used my Normal Summon yet! So, with my field in this state, what do you think my next move will be? Go ahead, take a guess! Even you should be able to predict _this_ future!"

The Mark on Konami's arm pulsed at the words, and he felt his eyes widen as his gaze locked with Carly's own.

"No..." he whispered, "Already?!"

"That's right!" Carly purred, grabbing a single card from her hand. "I sacrifice my Fortune Fairy Ann and Fortune Fairy En to Tribute Summon my Earthbound Immortal!"

With a roaring shriek, the flames of the Hummingbird burning upon the streets shot high into the sky, reflecting upon the dreary black clouds above as a stone, beating heart emerged from within. It drummed softly with life, beating rapidly as the two fairies on Carly's field vanished from view, transformed into the sustenance that would give it new life.

"Wait Carly, don't do it! If you summon that monster now, you'll won't just be sacrificing people who hurt you - you'll be condemning innocent lives to torture; destroying people who have done nothing to you!"

"Oh please, don't go and ruin the moment with that sentimental attitude of yours!" Carly scoffed. "We're Dark Signers! We know that no one on this earth is truly innocent! But if you really insist...then I'll humor this once! After all, my Immortal has no need for the masses when I have plenty of _guilty_ parties saved up right here!" She cast open her dark regalia, revealing the black tank top underneath. Upon it sat several straps of cards, each emblazoned with the artwork of a pathetic carded soul. Konami watched in shock as one by one the cards' artwork began to fade, transforming into wailing spirits that were quickly sucked in by the Earthbound's beating heart.

Once half of them had vanished inside the pulsing heart, a rumbling shriek filled the air, shooting waves of pressure through the streets and nearly blowing Konami off-course. Carly laughed at it all, completely unaffected by the sudden burst of wind; no doubt a result of it being caused by _her_ monster.

Grinning at Konami's horrified face, she raised her hand to the sky and accelerated her vehicle, all while chanting the words that spelled his doom.

 _"After five thousand years, the door to the Netherworld opens again!"_ she praised, her Mark of the Shadows shining brighter than ever before. " _Advent! Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu! He now arrives to feed on you..."_

In a shower of dark energy, the heart finally exploded, expanding to reveal a pair of black kaiju-sized wings. They slowly spread outward, revealing the pitch-black body of the enormous, black-hearted hummingbird that slumbered within. It towered over the city, easily dwarfing the size of New Domino's tallest building.

Dark orange lines ran down its sides, giving the behemoth its very own trim that trailed from its head down to its feet. Several glowing orbs lined the side of its face, acting as the beast's eyes and ears as it crashed down upon the city, pushing up a wave of debris and smoke with each step. Once settled, it squawked hungrily, the sound rippling through the city and shattering glass in its wake.

Konami grimaced, knowing beyond a doubt that with its summon, Lazar and Sector Security would show up at any moment. And knowing the Crimson Dragon, it would have alerted the Signers to their enemy's presence as well. If it even needed to. After all, it wasn't like it was exactly hard to spot a building-sized monster when you lived in the city it was destroying!

 _Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (2500/2500)_

"Now's where the real fun begins..." Carly whispered. She locked eyes with Konami, grinning when he suddenly scowled at her, no doubt wondering how he could turn things around.

The poor boy.

He never stood a chance!

"It's time I went and made you a real Dark Signer!" she decided, curling the hand on her marked arm into a tight fist. "Time for a black baptism! Go, Aslla Piscu. Attack Konami Directly!"

She threw her hand forward, and the sealed god descended, eager to feast on his ripe flesh.

* * *

 **Chapter Eight - END**

* * *

 _"Bring it on! I'll knock some sense back into you!"_

 _The Mark on Konami's arm burns hotter than ever before as Aslla Piscu descends. Despite his attempts to fight against it and Carly's formidable Fortune Tactics, he soon finds himself driven into a corner. Unwilling to lose such an important battle, he summons a monster with a deadly effect._

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2 - Dark Signer VS Dark Signer!**_

 _"Here I go, draw!"_

* * *

 ** _Read and Review!_**


	9. Dark Signer VS Dark Signer

_"After five thousand years, the door to the Netherworld opens again!"_ _Carly chanted, the Mark of the Shadows pulsing on her arm._ _"I now summon Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu! It arrives on this earth to feed on you!"_

 _The beating heart floating in the sky ruptured as she spoke. Purple rays spewed out of its form, crashing down onto the streets of New Domino violently. Cars and street lights found themselves obliterated by the roaring waves, and a cloud of dirt and debris flew through the air, announcing the arrival of Carly's ace monster._

 _With an ear-piercing shriek, the head of the black hummingbird burst out of the ground behind her, causing even more damage to the city. Its sharp black wings spread outward, ripping through the glass buildings that lined the road upon which she drove. As the rest of its body emerged from the flaming geoglyph surrounding them, it let loose another terrible cry, ready to use its power to drown the world in darkness._

 _Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (2500/2500)_

 _"Carly..." Konami whispered, glancing at the girl sorrowfully as she smirked back at him. "I'm sorry. It's my fault that you've become like this, that you don't care about the people you hurt! I know that in your current state you probably won't listen, but I promise you, I will save you from this!"_

 _"It's far too late for you to be making promises," she replied. "Besides, once my Immortal and I have beaten you, you'll come to realize just how powerful we Dark Signers can really be!"_

 _"You say that like you already know you'll win!"_

 _"Oh, I will win. My Aslla Piscu will see to that!" Carly roared, picking up speed. "As an Earthbound Immortal, it can attack you directly each and every turn, regardless of whether or not you have any monsters to defend yourself with! And since your field is wide open, there's nothing to stop it from taking a bite out of you right now! Go, Aslla Piscu, attack Konami directly!"_

 _She threw her hand forward and the sealed god descended, eager to feast on his ripe, meaty flesh._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Nine**_

* * *

 _ **Dark Signer VS Dark Signer!**_

* * *

With a shriek, Aslla Piscu dove down into the city. A violent wave of smoke and debris followed, floating behind the behemoth as roaring winds - summoned by each flap of its wings - surged through the streets. The glass on nearby buildings shattered as it flew, rippling with vibrations as the world itself trembled at the beast's mere presence.

Its beak began to open as it neared Konami's Duel Runner, ready to snap and gnaw and tear the boy apart for even daring to stand against it. Still, the red-capped Duelist held firm, accelerating to match Carly's own rising speed before throwing a hand out to stop the attack.

"Not so fast!" he roared as he did, causing Carly to look up in surprise. "Your Earthbound Immortal might be powerful, but its strength won't help you if it can't attack! I activate my Trap Card, _Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!_ "

The face-down hologram lifted itself up, revealing the artwork of a scrapped, makeshift scarecrow resting in an empty field.

"This card lets me negate one of your monster's attacks, and that's not even the best part!" he continued. "Once that attack has been negated, I don't send this card to the Graveyard. Instead, I can set it right back down on my field, so I can use it again next turn!"

A crimson light then burst from the card, prompting Aslla Piscu to squawk out in surprise and rage. It immediately flapped its wings downward, the sudden change in pressure propelling it upward back into the skies above the city. Carly grit her teeth as she watched it disappear into the clouds, then immediately snapped her gaze back to Konami angrily.

"Nice trick," she told him, "but don't think I'll fall for it again! Now that I know what your face-down is, you can bet I'll be planning for it next time!"

"Hah!" Konami barked back, grinning as his Scrap-Iron Scarecrow flipped itself back down. "Go right ahead! While you're busy dealing with that, I'll be focused on gaining the upper hand!"

"We'll see who'll have the upper hand soon enough," Carly muttered. "I'm setting a single face-down card! It might not be much, but it's be more than enough to keep you on your toes!"

"Well, we're about to find out, because now it's my move!" Konami replied, revving his engine. "I draw!"

 **TURN THREE - KONAMI - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 3 SPC**

"To start things off, I think I'll bring back the friend you've made me cast aside! I activate my face-down Trap, _Nihilistic Summoning Technique!_ " he shouted, his final face-down flipping up to reveal itself. "This card lets me Special Summon a Level Four or lower monster from my Banished Zone, then lowers that monster's Attack Points to Zero! So please, give a warm welcome back to the Heavy Knight of the Flame!"

The familiar whine of a red-eyed horse filled the air as a portal swirled within the Trap's artwork, providing a passage for the beast to run through. It emerged from the card with ease, returning to its master's side as Carly clucked her tongue in annoyance.

 _Heavy Knight of the Flame - LV4 - FIRE - Zombie - (0/200)_

"Next, I'll give him some company by summoning my Evocator Eveque in Attack Mode!" Konami continued, revealing the card from his hand before placing it onto his Duel Runner's Disk.

A red warrior proceeded to emerge from a pillar of flame, bound in an armor not unlike that of the Evocator Chevalier. Instead of wielding a flaming blade, however, this crimson killer relied on a ball and chain. It swung the flaming, spiked orb about freely, grinning beneath its helmet in hopes that one day, it would finally smash something in half with its blazing sphere.

 _Evocator Eveque - LV4 - FIRE - Warrior - (1500/1000)_

"Two Level Four Monsters..." Carly growled, "Going for it already, are you?"

"Figured out my plan, huh?" he asked in reply. "Even if you predicted that much, here's something you didn't! Evocator Eveque, attack Carly's Fortune Fairy Swee! _Buster Blaze!_ "

"Yes!" the crimson warrior shouted, reeling the iron sphere high above its head before hurling it forward toward Carly's monster. The flaming orb smashed Swee in the face, prompting the fairy girl to cry out in pain and shock before shattering into golden shards. They rained down on Carly's Duel Runner, cutting against her skin and clothes as her Life Points fell piece by piece.

 **CARLY - 2500 LP  
KONAMI - 4000 LP**

"Ugh! You'll pay for that...!" she promised, removing a hand from the controls to shield herself from the falling shards.

"Actually," Konami told her, "I don't think I will, because as you've predicted, it's time for a little Xyz Summoning!"

His Duel Runner began to accelerate, kicking things into high gear as he swung one hand toward his two monsters.

"With the Level Four Heavy Knight of the Flame," he began, "and the Level Four Evocator Eveque, I shall construct the Overlay Network!"

A swirling pillar of darkness appeared in the sky as he spoke, prompting the two declared monsters to leap toward it. As they did so, their bodies began to shift and change, transforming into crimson beams of light that vanished inside the dark abyss. An explosion then ruptured outward, and the blazing silhouette of Konami's ace monster began to appear.

 _"Despairing black matter, come sealed unto here!"_ Konami chanted, eyes glowing purple as he spoke. _"Let loose the flames of hate, and give rise to a new day! Xyz Summon! Come forth,_ _ **Rasca Dawn Dragon!**_ _"_

 _Rasca Dawn Dragon - RK4 - DARK - Dragon - (2500/2000)_

The shimmering dragon roared as it took to the field, spreading its byzantium wings to their full breadth as it gazed upon the soaring Aslla Piscu above. Sensing the small dragon's presence, or perhaps that of the Wiraqocha Rasca it held within, Aslla Piscu screeched back. The two conflicting noises collided in midair, whirling together amongst the chaos to produce new tremors that flowed through the streets of the city. The sudden quake nearly sent Carly and Konami's Duel Runners into an uncontrolled spin, but the power of their Marks burned bright, urging them on as they continued the Duel that would decide what form their future would take.

Together, the two Dark Signers continued to drive, their arms burning hotter and hotter as their respective aces induced new dark desires within them. Konami grit his teeth to resist it, and Rasca Dawn's own existence helped, due to its nature as Wiraqocha Rasca's sealing mechanism. Despite this, the presence of Aslla Piscu had set something ablaze, and Konami could feel the darkness within him seeping out, just waiting to be used!

Carly must have felt it within him as well, for she suddenly let out a cold and terrible laugh that Konami found he had to resist smiling at.

"Can you feel it, Konami?" she asked him. "The slumbering soul of Wiraqocha Rasca cries out to you! You may be able to resist its call for now, but soon - the treacherous seal of your monster will fail, releasing Wiraqocha from its draconic prison! When that comes to pass, you know what will happen, don't you?"

Konami glared at her.

"Yes," Carly continued, the cold stare only serve to encourage her. "Your true rebirth will begin! The power of darkness will flow through you freely, and the true Dark Signer of the Condor will be born at last!"

"Sorry, but that won't be happening!" Konami roared. "Like I told Jack before, I'm the one who controls this power, not the other way around! And now, I'm going to prove it by activating Rasca Dawn Dragon's special ability!"

The Earthbound Dragon snarled as Konami declared his intentions, and it spread its wings to take in the power of its Xyz Material while charging its ultimate ray.

"Once per turn, I can detach one of its Xyz Materials to target a monster on the field and destroy it!" Konami explained. "Then, you take damage equal to the Attack Points of the destroyed monster!"

"But the only monster I have is my Aslla Piscu!" Carly shouted. "With twenty five hundred Attack, that's enough to wipe out the rest of my Life Points!"

"Which means that you lose!" Konami told her. He spun his Duel Runner around so he could face her as he delivered the final blow. "With this, your madness comes to an end! Go, Rasca Dawn Dragon! Destroy Aslla Piscu with your _Destiny Flare!_ "

With a rumbling roar, Rasca Dawn finished charging the destructive beam it was known for. It gaped its jaws wide in the direction of the black hummingbird, releasing its ray in a stream of wicked power that cut through the night sky. In a mere second, the dark clouds brought about by the Shadow Game had been torn asunder, revealing the clear night sky above...and the gaping hole that now sat in the chest of Aslla Piscu.

"You-You've wounded it!" Carly called out in shock, eyes wide as her ace suddenly shrieked out in pain.

"No," Konami corrected as Aslla Piscu screeched once more. "I've killed it!"

The black hummingbird exploded then, shattering into a destructive wave of light and fire that fell upon the roads around them. The world trembled as the great force crashed down upon the earth, upending streets and blocks of the city entirely as Konami and Carly raced on, desperate to escape its enormous power.

" _Ahahahaha!_ " Carly laughed as they did, eyes wide and still glowing with Aslla Piscu's power.

"Why are you laughing?!" Konami asked her. "You should've lost the Duel!"

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Carly asked, her voice trailing off as the growing wave of debris and smoke began to overtake them. "I've activated my Trap Card, _Energy Absorbing Monolith!_ It turns any damage your monster's effect might have given me into Life Points!"

Konami's eyes widened as he caught sight of the raised Trap by Carly's side, realizing she was telling the truth. A soft green glow had engulfed Carly's Duel Runner, protecting her while resolving the Trap's effect. The gentle energy increased the total of her Life Points, keeping her safe and in the game even as the dangerous explosion raged around them.

 **CARLY - 5000 LP  
KONAMI - 4000 LP**

"No..." Konami breathed.

"Don't like that?" Carly asked him with a smirk. "If not, then you certainly won't like this, either! I activate the effect of my destroyed Aslla Piscu!"

"Ah...!" Konami's eyes widened, remembering just what the monster could do.

"That's right! Unlike most of the other Earthbound Immortals, my Aslla Piscu's effect activates whenever it's removed from my field!" Carly said. "When it is, I can destroy all face-up monsters you control, and then inflict eight hundred points of damage to you for each and every one! Since you've overlaid your two Gemini Monsters into that false Immortal of yours, it's the only monster you control right now, but that still means you'll take eight hundred points of damage when Piscu gets its revenge!"

"Darn, she got me!" Konami cursed, glancing upward to where his own dragon lay. The dirt and debris soon burst out once more, overtaking the two of them completely and showering them with Aslla Piscu's rage. Rasca Dawn screeched in pain as the fire burnt at its body, and with a single heartfelt scream, it shattered - leaving Konami defenseless once more.

"Ugh...!" he hissed, skidding through the smoke as the destruction of his own monster released a shockwave that sent him flying. He barely managed to retain control of his Runner as it crashed down, taking a bite out of his Life Points with the hard and terrible landing.

 **CARLY - 5000 LP  
KONAMI - 3200 LP**

Carly cackled as his brief loss of control let her overtake him, and she spun her own Runner around to face him with a wide grin.

"I told you that you'd pay for Fortune Fairy Swee," she cackled. "Perhaps next time you'll listen to me when I read your fortune! _Ahahahahaha!_ "

 _'Damn it,'_ Konami thought, righting his Duel Runner and continuing the chase. _'I fell right into her Trap! I have to be careful from now on. I have to remember that this isn't the normal Carly I'm dealing with! Between that Fortune-telling Deck of hers and Aslla Piscu, if I'm not cautious, I'll be the one to wind up hitting the dirt!'_

"It's still your move, partner!" she called to him, and Konami's eyes widened upon once again hearing her mocking tone.

"Then I'll end it by setting a face-down card!" he shouted, sliding a card into his Trap Zone. A single reverse hologram materialized to register his move, and he turned his gaze back to Carly, lips set into a firm, disapproving, frown. "It's your turn now."

"Mhm," Carly agreed, her Duel Runner accelerating as she reached for a card. "And you know what that means. It's time for my cards to once again predict your future. My Turn. I draw!"

 **TURN FOUR - CARLY - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 2 SPC**

Her rising speed counters allowed her to accelerate even faster as she drew, and she quickly cast her gaze toward the card's artwork to reveal what it was.

Fortune Lady Wind.

"Just as I thought," Carly said with a smug grin. "It seems your scarecrow won't be lasting much longer, because I'm summoning the perfect Fortune Lady to deal with it! Come on out, Fortune Lady Wind!"

The green light of evil shone down on Carly's side of the field, and a hologram of the card appeared. The emerald-haired witch plastered on the artwork emerged from it not two seconds later, then proceeded to swirl her long wooden staff around violently. Like the other Fortune Ladies, her body was clad in a torn two-part dress, one that sat over a black undersuit that showed off the sides of her navel and chest. Thigh-high boots sat wickedly around the woman's feet, and a pair of bat-like wings decorated her hair. As she finally finished her twirl with a pose, the glowing symbol of the Fortune Ladies materialized on her forehead, signaling the completion of her summon. She cackled gently as she hovered by Carly's side, ready to use her powers to assist the Dark Signer in any way she could.

 _Fortune Lady Wind - LV3 - WIND - Spellcaster - (?/?)_

"No Attack Points?" Konami asked.

Carly laughed, "I know it's been a while since we've dueled, but have you really forgotten the effect of my Fortune Ladies already? Unlike your weaklings, these girls don't have set Attack and Defense Points. Instead, they gain power for every Level they have. Fortune Lady Wind here gains three hundred, and with three Levels, that puts her at nine hundred Attack Points and nine hundred Defense Points!"

 _Fortune Lady Wind - LV3 - Spellcaster - (900/900)_

"Great," Konami muttered, "Glad to know she's nothing to worry about!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, because now that she's been Normal Summoned, her effect will automatically activate!" Carly explained. "Her ability destroys Spells and Traps on the field equal to the number of Fortune Ladies I control. Since she's the only one I have out right now, that means I get to destroy one face-down card, and I'm sure you know which one I'm choosing!"

She threw her hand forward, pointing directly to the Scrap-Iron Scarecrow that had set itself back on the field.

"You won't be negating my attacks any longer! Go, Fortune Lady Wind!" Carly commanded. "Blow that scarecrow away with your _Fortune Twister!_ "

"As you say," Lady Wind obeyed, soaring ahead of Carly's Duel Runner before pushing her staff's glowing tip forward. The green orb at the top of the object began to glow, and from it, a swirling hurricane of violent, raging energy surged forth. Konami grunted and grit his teeth as it tore through his face-down card, obliterating the protective scarecrow and nearly blasting his Duel Runner off the road.

"Guh...! Aaaagh...!"

"And I'm not finished yet," Carly continued, "because now that your defense is gone, my Fortune Lady Wind can attack you directly!"

Lady Wind smiled cruelly upon hearing the words, and spun her staff around so that it's sharp, crooked edge pointed upwards. With the makeshift scythe in hand, she quickly leapt forward toward Konami's Duel Runner, intending to cleave her blade through with ease. Just before she could reach him, however, Konami's hand swung out, cutting her approach off!

"Hold it," he interrupted. "You might have gotten rid of my Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, but there's still a face-down on my field, _Call of the Haunted!_ It lets me revive a monster from my Graveyard, which means your monster's direct attack gets stopped in its tracks!"

"Tsk!" Carly grunted, "Warded off my attack again, huh? Even so, don't forget that you can't summon Rasca Dawn Dragon back to the field! It's own effect clearly states that it can only be Xyz Summoned, and can't be Special Summoned by other ways!"

"Which is precisely why I'm bringing this guy back instead!" Konami replied. "Return once again, _Heavy Knight of the Flame!_ "

The flaming soldier roared with fury as he charged out of the Trap's artwork atop his horse-drawn chariot. Fortune Lady Wind cried out in surprise when he emerged, his sudden presence cutting off any attempt she might have made to end Konami's life.

 _Heavy Knight of the Flame - LV4 - FIRE - Zombie - (1800/200)_

"That monster again, huh?" Carly grumbled. "What? You like seeing it leave the field or something?"

"Don't mock me. This monster merely provides the best chance for success given the current state of the field! In the end, it doesn't matter how often he leaves - so long as it's to help me beat you once and for all!"

"Oh? If that's the case, then bring it on! I want to see everything you have to offer me as the Dark Signer of the Condor! So come at me, partner! Beat me! Break me! Show me your power! Let's see which of us will dominate the other!"

"This isn't about dominating you!" Konami told her. "All I want is to return you to your senses! To change you back into the kind, young woman I know you to be!"

"Sorry, but that loser's gone, and this time, she's not coming back!" Carly spat. "I'm a new woman now, and I understand that in order to get ahead in life, you can't be afraid to step on a few toes!"

"You're wrong, Carly! You don't have to deny the wills of others to find happiness in life! You don't have to hurt people to achieve success!"

"Oh? But haven't you yourself proven otherwise?" Carly asked.

Konami's eyes widened.

"Yes," Carly breathed, a smile crossing her face as she continued to accelerate. "Was it not you who brought us here, by denying the will of Jack? You went against his wishes...and defeated his blazing power with the darkness within you... You won the right to make me whole again, and in doing so, you rendered the King of Turbo Duels unconscious!"

"...!"

"So don't try to preach to me about morals. After all, when you came to me earlier, you didn't care about how I felt or what I wanted, did you?! All you wanted was to reawaken my power so you could use it for yourself! Well, smile Konami, because now you've gotten your wish! Dark Signer Carly has returned once again! But time for a newsflash, you won't be the one using me...instead, I think you'll find that I'll be the one using you!"

"What did you say?!"

"Heh," Carly smirked at him. "Don't worry, it won't be anything too bad. It's just that as my partner, I simply thought it would be fitting if you came to see things my way for once! Yes, right now, that is what I truly desire. Which is why, once I've beaten you, I will revive the spirit of Wiraqocha Rasca within you, and make use your talents to help me destroy the Signers! Together, we'll carve a path of destruction through this city, and make Jack our eternal ally!"

"Sorry, but that won't be happening!" Konami shouted. "And that's because I won't be losing this Duel!"

"That's what you think, but I have seen the future, and trust me on this," Carly cackled. "It's only a matter of time. I play one card face-down and end my Turn!"

"Then it's time for me to prove you wrong!" Konami replied. "It's my move...I draw!"

 **TURN FIVE - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 5 SPC**

His eyes widened.

"Ooh, draw something good?" Carly asked with a purr.

"For me? Yes. For you? No!" he replied. "I'm going to perform an Advanced Summon, and I'll do it by offering my Heavy Knight of the Flame as tribute!"

The galloping knight grunted in acceptance, transforming into a colorful orb of rainbow light. It banished itself high into the sky, bursting into a golden ray that was then swallowed up by a swirling portal of darkness.

 _"Surge, my black flames of vengeance!"_ Konami chanted as he watched his monster vanish. _"Douse thyself in flames of Red, and become the strength that urges me on! Advance Summon! Come, Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning!"_

A raging snarl echoed through the portal as Konami finished his words, and a blazing brute of a demon suddenly burst forth. Black bones lined its body, encasing the pulsing muscles that sat beneath them. Long silver claws ripped out of its hands and feet, and a pair of bat-like wings spread out behind its back, granting the great demon flight and maneuverability. Its glowing red eyes gazed out across the field as it descended, and once it finally reached Konami, it turned to face Fortune Lady Wind, ready to fight!

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"Now then, it's time I made a prediction of my own," Konami said, earning a glare from Carly. "Your Lady Wind's future is...death! Go, Red-Eyes Archfiend! Rip that scantily-clad witch to shreds!"

The black demon roared viciously upon hearing its master's words, and it tore across the field to do just that. Lady Wind gasped out in surprise as the archfiend approached, but before she could ready herself, the beast was already upon her. With a single swing of its great and mighty claws, Red-Eyes Archfiend tore Lady Wind in two, sending her corpse falling toward Carly's Duel Runner. Her remains scattered to the wind as she fell, raining down upon Carly and signaling a loss to the Dark Signer's Life Points.

"Ugh!" Carly grunted, squinting her eyes through the debris.

 **CARLY - 3400 LP  
KONAMI - 3200 LP**

"Not bad, but you weren't the only one to foresee Wind's demise!" She then shouted, flipping her reverse card upward, "I activate my Trap Card, Inherited Fortune! When a Fortune Lady I control is destroyed, I can use this card to Special Summon two of them from my hand during my next Standby Phase!"

"Sure," Konami replied, "but it doesn't matter what Fortune Lady you summon, because none of them will be able to overcome my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

"Such confidence," Carly cooed. "Shall we put it to the test?"

"If you must," Konami grunted.

"Very well, then let's see what fate has in store for you, shall we?" Carly asked with a dark grin. "My move! I draw!"

She ripped a card from the top of her Deck, accelerating even faster than before as they tore through the street.

 **TURN SIX - CARLY - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 4 SPC**

"Now that I've drawn, I proceed to my Standby Phase, where _Inherited Fortune's_ effect activates!" Carly explained, grabbing two cards from her hand. "As I said before, this card will let me Special Summon two Fortune Ladies from my hand! So please give a warm welcome to Fortune Lady Light and her evil companion...Fortune Lady Dark!"

Twin lights of black and white burst forth from the street as Carly played both cards at once. Two of her fortune-telling witches then rose from the depths, dressed in complimentary colors that matched their names.

The first was Fortune Lady Light, whose color was yellow; bright like the sun. Her pale white skin gleamed in the night, shining softly as she spun her blade-edged staff through the air and posed.

 _Fortune Lady Light - LV1 - LIGHT - Spellcaster - (?/?)_

The second was Fortune Lady Dark, whose cruel grin was suited by her dark purple clothes. Unlike Lady Light beside her, she did not pose upon being summoned, but rather scoffed at the state of the field before casting a foul glare in Konami's direction.

 _Fortune Lady Dark - LV5 - DARK - Spellcaster - (?/?)_

"And let me guess, their Attack and Defense Points match their Levels too?" Konami asked.

"That's right, but the amount they earn for each is different." Carly explained, "Fortune Lady Light only gains two hundred points for each Level she has, while Fortune Lady Dark gains four hundred! And since they were summoned during my Standby Phase, that means the effect they share as Fortune Ladies activates, increasing their Levels by one! This means that Fortune Lady Light now has four hundred Attack and Defense points, while my Lady Dark has twenty four hundred each!"

The two witches cackled softly as their power grew to match their Levels, and a dark glow seemed to swirl off of them, representing the strength they possessed.

 _Fortune Lady Light - LV2 - LIGHT - Spellcaster - (400/400)_

 _Fortune Lady Dark - LV6 - DARK - Spellcaster - (2400/2400)_

"So you've gotten close, but your Lady Dark still doesn't have the strength she needs to overcome my Red-Eyes Archfiend!" Konami shouted.

"She doesn't need to, because I didn't summon these Ladies to fight you with them," Carly explained. "I summoned them so they can die as sacrifices for my Earthbound Immortal's return!"

"Its return?!" Konami asked, eyes widening. "But how? Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu is in the Graveyard!"

"Which means that I'll just have to use a card to bring it back!" Carly explained, "And luckily for me, I drew one just now! I activate the Speed Spell - _Earthbound Revival!_ By paying three Speed Counters, this card will let me add one "Earthbound Immortal" from my Graveyard to my hand! Of course, the card I'll be adding is my Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu!"

Konami grabbed his Mark, resisting the urge to cry out in pain as it suddenly pulsed with power. He glanced across the street to Carly's Duel Runner, watching it slow down to account for her new total of Speed Counters. Their eyes met as Konami's vehicle passed hers, and Konami realized hers were glowing purple once again.

 _"The Door to the Netherworld opens once again!"_ Carly chanted, grinning as Fortune Ladies Light and Dark vanished into the sky. _"Reawakened from its slumber, and then returned from death, the black hummingbird of the shadows arrives to feast on your flesh! Advance Summon! Come forth, Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu!"_

 _Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (2500/2500)_

The street exploded in power yet again, the Hummingbird geoglyph roaring to life as the great black beast soared into the sky. Like before, hundreds of cards on Carly's person turned grey, the souls within sacrificed to feed her Earthbound Immortal. Konami grit his teeth tight as he watched the bird reappear, then took hold of his Duel Runner's controls to focus on the road. He knew what was about to happen, and if he was to survive, then he couldn't let Carly or the pain seeping from his Mark distract him!

"Just as Fortune Ladies Light and Dark served their purpose as food to revive Aslla Piscu, so too must you serve your purpose as a Dark Signer!" Carly laughed as they drove. "No matter what path you try to walk, whether you struggle against your instincts or dive into them willingly, you only have one end! And that end is...to serve the Earthbound Immortals! Now, feel their power!"

The walls of the buildings around them shuddered as Aslla Piscu opened its beak and screamed. Ripples of sonic waves crashed down upon the city, shattering the glass and bringing the earth to heel. As the waves died down, Aslla Piscu began to glow, its orange lines growing brighter and brighter as a thunderous roar bellowed out from its throat. Then, after gaping its maw, it released a vibrant ray of destructive power, using its effect to attack Konami directly!

"There's no face-down to protect you this time!" Carly screamed victoriously, watching him accelerate. "Feel the wrath of the Immortals, Konami!"

He grit his teeth as the wave approached, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop it. He had no face-downs, and due to Aslla Piscu's Direct Attack, his Red-Eyes Archfiend wouldn't be able to intercept the blow.

To be hit was to die, therefore...

He only had one option!

 _'Accelerate!'_ he thought, his hands tightening around his Runner's controls. _'Accelerate!'_

Unlike Carly, he still had Six Speed Counters, one for each turn that had passed so far! And if each Speed Counter increased his max speed by twenty kilometers per hour, then that meant that if he hit full acceleration, he could hit one hundred twenty, which would be just enough-

 _'To get me out of this alive!'_ Konami thought, revving the accelerator.

And not a moment too soon.

The beam fired from Aslla Piscu's open beak crashed down upon the street as his engine roared to life, and a wave of energy-clad rushed headlong toward him. A powerful shockwave shook the earth, obliterating the buildings and cars present as Konami let out a fierce cry of pain. Even still, he kept his hands on the controls, knowing that if he was to survive, he had to see things through to the end!

The wave overtook him, his vision vanishing into fire and smoke.

Hot air and destructive power fizzed around him, threatening to eat away at his flesh in an instant if he so much as twitched the wrong way. For a moment, he thought he might actually die.

And then, in that instant...

He broke free once more!

Blown forward by the force of the attack, his Duel Runner briefly surpassed its max speed and soared out from the explosion, still in one piece! Bruises and wisps of smoke steamed off his body, but he had survived!

If only the same could be said about his Life Points.

 **CARLY - 3400 LP  
KONAMI - 700 LP**

"You might have survived this round, but another hit like that, and no amount of speeding will save you!" Carly called from behind him. "What will you do, Konami? The time to your dark rebirth draws near!"

"Ugh...!" Konami grunted, unable to come up with an immediate response.

Despite surviving Aslla Piscu's attack, he only had seven hundred Life Points left, less than what he'd need to survive if the Earthbound's effect went off once more! He needed to make a play, and he needed to do it now!

 _'I can't use Red-Eyes Archfiend's ability,'_ Konami immediately realized. _'Even if its Attack Power rose to a point where the power could destroy Aslla Piscu, to do so would be suicide! Piscu's effect activates any time it's removed from the field by means other than its own effect, which only destroys it when there's no Field Spell present! Since this is a Turbo Duel, however...'_

His eyes suddenly widened, an idea coming to mind. It would be close, but if he could pull it off...

"Then I just might have a chance at winning this thing! Alright Carly, you wanted to see what I'd do, well here I go!" he roared, spinning his Runner around to face her. "It's my Turn...! Draw!"

 **TURN SEVEN - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 7 SPC**

He glanced at the drawn card, and felt his eyes widen in relief.

 _'It's here!'_ he thought.

"I summon Dread Dragon in Attack Mode!"

He placed the drawn card face-up on the field, watching as a golden light announced the arrival of his new monster. It was a small, lean monster that emerged from within, its body glowing a dark brown color as it took flight next to Konami's Duel Runner. A pair of green eyes gazed out from upon its long, rectangular face, and purple hair rested atop its head, tied back into a spectacular 'do.

 _Dread Dragon - LV2 - FIRE - Dragon - (1100/400)_

"A Tuner Monster, now?" Carly grumbled.

"That's right, and I'll be using it alongside my Red-Eyes Archfiend to bring out a Level Eight Synchro!" Konami explained.

The two monsters growled in understanding after hearing Konami's words, and immediately began the process through which he could Synchro Summon. Vanishing into two swirling sigils of green light, Dread Dragon engulfed the form of the Red-Eyes Archfiend, revealing the six shining stars within. They quickly lined up, becoming a straight path that would give birth to a new powerful monster!

 _"Sealed Skills give birth to a new power! Become the rage that sets them free!"_ Konami chanted. _"Synchro Summon! The Level Eight, Black Brutdrago!_ "

The stars and sigils exploded into a pillar of green light, through which a hulking black dragon emerged. It stood upon a pair of tiny hind legs, clad from the neck down in spiked, pitch-black armor. Similarly black scales ran down its front, protecting it from harm and armoring the fists it used to fight. A pair of tattered black wings spread out from its shoulder-blades, but they could not be used, if only due to the beast's overwhelming size and power. Instead, it was the glowing red line on its stomach that served as its most interesting feature; the symbol of the power that swelled within it at each and every moment, waiting to be released. Finished materializing, Black Brutdrago let loose an earth-shattering roar, then turned to glare at Carly through a pair of nasty red eyes.

 _Black Brutdrago - LV8 - FIRE - Dragon - (3000/2600)_

"Black Brutdrago?" Carly asked, "It might have more Attack Points than my Aslla Piscu, but it won't be able to attack it! Even if it did, by destroying it, you'd only be doing me a favor! Remember, with only seven hundred Life Points left, you won't be able to survive Aslla Piscu's effect! It will destroy all face-up monsters you control when it leaves the field, and then inflict eight hundred points of damage to you for each one!"

"I'm well aware of your monster's effect," Konami called back to her, "as well as the fact that it only activates when it leaves the field through means other than it's own ability - one that destroys it automatically if there's no Field Spell in use."

"That's right, but we're in a Turbo Duel, so Speed World is in effect! That means I don't have to worry about Aslla Piscu leaving from its own effect anytime soon!"

"On the contrary," Konami replied, "you should be very worried, because I'm activating my Black Brutdrago's effect! Once per turn, I can send one Gemini monster from my hand to the Graveyard, and if I do, I can target and destroy one Spell or Trap card you control!"

"Are you an idiot?" Carly asked, watching as he discarded Goggle Golem to the Grave. "I don't have any Spells or Traps right now!"

"Have you not been listening? We've just confirmed that you do have one; one that's been in effect since the very beginning of our Duel!" Konami told her.

Carly's eyes widened in shock.

"What the-? Are you mad?!" she shouted at him. "You can't destroy Speed World! This is a Turbo Duel!"

"Then it's time we hit the brakes, because that's precisely what I'm doing!" Konami roared. "Black Brutdrago, I've activated your effect! Now, I command you! Use it destroy this Speed World and bring this Turbo Duel to a screeching halt!"

With a snarling roar, the great armored dragon raised its fists high into the sky, and then - despite Carly's shout, despite Aslla Piscu's panic - it brought them crashing down, sending a booming shockwave through the streets upon which they raced.

Error Messages cracked the Duel Screens as Speed World ripped and shuddered, setting both Duel Runners ablaze with sparks and flame as a result of their computers' hard crash.

"Y-You fool!" Carly screamed, even as her Duel Runner began to spin out of control. "This won't save you! Our Duel won't be concluded by this!"

"You're right," Konami agreed, attempting to guide his ride to a controlled stop even as the wheels wobbled and churned. "But from this point on, we'll have to settle it my way! Without the speed! Without the vehicles! Duelist to Duelist...ON. THE. GROUND!"

Black Brutdrago roared once more, and as it did, the two vehicles collided, flipping over into a violent, explosive crash.

What would come from that crash...?

Even Konami didn't know.

* * *

 _ **Chapter Nine - END**_

* * *

 _"Black Brutdrago, attack!"_

 _Konami has successfully destroyed Speed World. Having continued their battle in a Standing Duel, he unleashes a direct attack on Carly and reduces her Life Points to less than a thousand. With their battle nearing its end, the two Dark Signers unleash everything they have to defeat each other. In that moment, something terrible happens!_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Eve of Darkness! Rasca Dawn Fails!**_

 _"It's time for you to join me! Ahahahahahahahaha!"_

* * *

 ** _Read and Review!_**


	10. Eve of Darkness! Rasca Dawn Fails!

_"Sealed Skills give birth to a new power! Become the rage that sets them free!" Konami chanted. "Synchro Summon! The Level Eight, Black Brutdrago!"_

 _Stars and sigils exploded into a pillar of green light, setting loose an enormous black dragon. It stood upon a pair of tiny hind legs, clad from the neck down in spiked, pitch-black armor that looked like something they'd find back in the middle ages. Similarly black scales ran down the front of its body, protecting it from harm and armoring the fists that it used to fight. A pair of flag-shaped wings spread out from its shoulder-blades, but they could not be used to fly, if only due to Brutdrago's very own weight and size. Instead, they hung limply in the air, torn and tattered from years of misuse. Still, it was not they that drew the most attention to the beast, but rather, the glowing red line that sat on its stomach. It served as the symbol of Brutdrago's power, representing the swirling force that swelled within it at each and every moment. And now, after enduring an eternity of silence, that power was finally ready to used again!_

 _Black Brutdrago - LV8 - FIRE - Dragon - (3000/2600)_

 _"Black Brutdrago?" Carly asked, scowling at the dragon as it loosed an earth-shattering roar. "It might have more Attack Points than my Aslla Piscu, but it won't be able to defeat it! My Earthbound Immortal can't be targeted for attacks, and even if it could, by destroying it, you'd only be committing suicide! Remember, with only seven hundred Life Points left, you won't be able to survive Aslla Piscu's effect! It will destroy all face-up monsters you control when it leaves the field, and then inflict eight hundred points of damage to you for each one!"_

 _"I'm well aware of your monster's effect," Konami called back to her, "as well as the fact that it only activates when it leaves the field through means other than it's own ability - one that destroys it automatically if there's no Field Spell in use!"_

 _"That's right, but we're in a Turbo Duel, so Speed World is in effect! That means I don't have to worry about Aslla Piscu leaving due to its own ability anytime soon!"_

 _"On the contrary," Konami replied, "you should be very worried, because I'm activating my Black Brutdrago's effect! Once per turn, I can send one Gemini monster from my hand to the Graveyard, and when I do, I can target and destroy one Spell or Trap card you control!"_

 _"Are you an idiot?" Carly asked, watching as he discarded Goggle Golem to the Grave. "I don't have any Spells or Traps right now!"_

 _"Have you not been listening? We've just confirmed that you do have one; one that's been on the field since the very start of our Duel!" Konami told her._

 _Carly's eyes widened in shock._

 _"What the-? Are you mad?!" she shouted at him. "You can't destroy Speed World! This is a Turbo Duel!"_

 _"Then it's time we hit the brakes, because that's precisely what I'm doing!" Konami roared. "Black Brutdrago, I've already activated your effect! Now, I command you to follow it through to the end! Use your power now to destroy Carly's Speed World, and bring this Turbo Duel to a screeching halt!"_

 _After a brief moment of hesitation, Black Brutdrago finally obeyed. Releasing a snarling roar, it lifted its great armored fists high above its head...and then brought them crashing down into the concrete. Dirt and debris flew upward, and Carly screamed out as the wave overtook her Duel Runner, pushing her into a violent, uncontrollable spin. Konami's own ride soon followed her own, hundreds upon hundreds of Error Messages filling his Duel Screen and crashing the computer._

 _The wheels on his vehicle whined and churned as the debris crashed upon him, knocking the struts loose and sending it skidding to the ground. With a pained but desperate cry, Konami disengaged his Duel Disk and fell from the ruined bike, shifting into a roll as he ditched into the collapsed street._

 _"Waaaagh!" he screamed, his body hitting the road with a loud crack and rolling across the asphalt._

 _His Duel Runner vanished into the debris as he did, disappearing beneath tons of concrete and rubble._

 _Carly, it seemed, fared no better._

 _Her ride had completely flipped upon suffering the hit, losing its wheels and sides completely in the violent crash. It bounced once, twice, and then a third time as it fell upon the street, before finally landing upside down and skidding to a halt against the side of a ruined building._

 _Aslla Piscu screamed as it watched the events unfold, and made to snap at Konami, but its effect took hold before it could draw near. Unable to last without a Field Spell, it vanished back into the geoglyph, cast away into Carly's Graveyard once more._

 _"Unh...Ugh..." Konami muttered, his vision blurry and faint as he tried to move. Slowly, the image in his eyes focused, and he gradually pulled himself to one knee. "Did...Did it work...?"_

 _Amongst the ruins of the accident, he glanced across the street to where Carly's Duel Runner lay. "Did...that finish her off?"_

 _No._

 _No sooner had he thought the words did a violent wave of purple light explode from her position, obliterating her Duel Runner completely. Konami shielded his eyes as the shockwaves blew him back several feet, and as he gazed toward the scene, his eyes widened in shock._

 _Carly had emerged, and she was completely unscathed._

 _"You ruined my ride," she growled nastily, glaring at him through those cruel, purple eyes._

 _"S-Send me a bill," he couldn't help but crack back at her, earning a low, dark chuckle in response._

 _"Oh, I will...but it won't be asking for money as payment," Carly cackled. "It'll be your soul, and your allegiance to me as a Dark Signer!"_

 _"I've told you before..." Konami muttered weakly, "...and I'll tell you again! That's...not happening!"_

 _"Then it seems we're not quite done here yet!" Carly laughed, activating the Duel Disk in her hands. "Our rides might be ruined, but our Duel is not! You said we'd finish this as a Standing Duel, so come on! Draw your new Hand, and come at me! Let's end this once and for all, partner!"_

 _"Tsk...!" Konami grunted, sliding the device onto his hand with a pained growl. It whirred to life after a few small sparks, then quickly dealt Konami a new hand to register the deactivation of Speed World._

 _Carly laughed as her own device did the same._

 _"It's still your move, Konami." She then told him, "And you'd better make it count, because with this new hand of mine, your soul is as good as mine! Ahahahahahaha!"_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Ten**_

* * *

 _ **Eve of Darkness! Rasca Dawn Fails!**_

* * *

Far from Ground Zero, beyond the grasp of the two geoglyphs burning through the city, Lazar Yeager shivered as he watched over the proceedings from the safety of the Director's Chair. He'd been watching for a while now, screaming and trembling with each and every shockwave that ran through the streets.

"What is this madness?!" he asked, glancing at many cameras stationed in his room. "What's going on out there? Why is this happening?! Mikage, explain!"

The blue-haired officer frowned at being called out so directly, but moved forward to divulge knowledge of the situation as she understood it.

"Reports are coming in from all over the city, sir!" she said. "It seems a pair of geoglyphs have appeared in the Downtown District, cutting off any routes in or out of the area! We have numerous patrolmen on site, but after that giant monster appeared, none of them seem to be responding to their radios!"

"I knew that much!" Lazar barked back at her, "What I want to know is why these geoglyphs have shown up again now! I thought the Dark Signer incident was over and done with!"

"Dark Signer Incident?" Mikage asked, eyes growing wide at the revelation. Now that she thought about, the strange designs did seem rather familiar to her, although she couldn't seem to remember why-

Her eyes widened as a sudden throbbing sensation filled her arm, and she glanced down toward it to find-!

Nothing.

No bruises, no marks, no bugs that could have bitten her.

Frowning, she reached down and rubbed her forearm softly before glancing back at the screen.

"Just what is going on out there?" she wondered, "And more importantly, why do _I_ feel like I had something to do with it?"

"Mikage," Lazar barked at her, "What are you standing around there for? Hurry up and mobilize the Securities! Evacuate everyone in those areas, immediately!"

"Y-Yes!" Mikage replied, saluting the clownish Director hurriedly before rushing out the door.

"Goodness, it's hard to find good help these days," Lazar murmured as he watched her leave. He then cast his gaze back toward the screen, lips straightening into a thin line. "Now then, Aslla Piscu has been bested yet again, it seems. Konami...just what will you do now?"

He stared deep into his secret screen, one that observed the duel between the two Dark Signers far more closely than any of the official Security Monitors.

"Whatever it is, you'd better do it quick, before more souls of my citizens are absorbed to serve your interests!"

Back on the scene, Konami's eyes widened, as if sensing Lazar's plea.

"You say it's still my move?" he taunted. "In that case, I think I'll set two cards, and then have my Black Brutdrago attack you directly!"

"What?!" Carly gasped in surprise, "It's still here?!"

"That's right!" Konami roared, his dragon's own echoing his as it burst out of the debris. With a heaving snarl, it snapped its jaws open and screamed, releasing a hot red sphere of lava that shot toward Carly.

The woman screamed as it crashed down upon her body, transforming all of Black Brutdrago's Attack Points into battle damage that beat away at her Life Points. With a booming explosion, the last of the energy faded, sending her flying off her feet and into the rubble behind her with a loud thud.

 **CARLY - 400 LP  
KONAMI - 700 LP**

"How's that for a move?" Konami asked with a nasty tone of his own, smirking at the thought of causing her pain. "Speed World might have been destroyed, but our Graveyard and Fields remain the same! Since Black Brutdrago was still on the field when our Turbo Duel ended, that means he still here now to beat you down and make you submit to me! Now, get up! I have no use for a 'partner' who's only good on her knees!"

The Mark of the Shadows burned brighter on his arm with each word he spoke, dragging him deeper and deeper into its grasp as the Duel dragged on. It was only a matter of time now, and Carly knew it more than anyone.

"I can feel you slipping...!" she laughed as she climbed back to her feet, "How much longer until the Immortal's power takes hold of you, I wonder? A minute? Two? With every turn it's influence over you grows. Our resonance is far from complete, but soon enough, you'll see the truth."

"What truth?" Konami growled, "That this nonsense of yours has dragged on long enough?"

"No," she replied. "That this journey you've tasked yourself with only has one end; and soon, that end shall arrive to devour you whole!"

"The only thing being devoured here is my patience," Konami growled. "I've already set two cards and ended my Turn, so stop wasting my time and draw! Unless, you mean to forfeit and spare me the trouble of beating you?"

"Not on your life," Carly said with a grin. "I draw!"

 **TURN EIGHT - CARLY - SIX CARDS IN HAND**

"The drawn card is Fortune Fairy Hikari!" Carly exclaimed, revealing Fortune Lady Light's younger and more cheerful counterpart. "Since this card was revealed after I drew it, that means I can Special Summon Hikari to the field!"

The fairy twirled with a smile as Carly placed it upon her Duel Disk, freeing Hikari from her tiny card prison.

 _Fortune Fairy Hikari - LV1 - LIGHT - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"And like me guess, just like your other Fortune Fairies, Hikari has an effect when she's Special Summoned by her own power, right?" Konami asked.

"Bingo!" Carly replied. Her grin grew as she opened her Deck and scanned its contents. "When Hikari is Special Summoned, I can target one Spellcaster-type monster I control and send it to the Graveyard, and if I do, I can then Special Summon a Level One Spellcaster from my Deck!"

"Another Special Summon? That can't be good."

"For you?" Carly inquired, echoing his earlier words. "No! Because now I'm sending Hikari herself to the Graveyard to bring out a monster you're already familiar with! Please, give a warm welcome to the witch you yourself gave me! Stand by my side now, _Fortune Lady Past!_ "

Hikari screamed as she suddenly exploded, shattering into golden shards that quickly swirled into a new dark form. Their golden light dimmed into a black mass of power, erupting into a pillar of strength through which Fortune Lady Past emerged.

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV1 - DARK - Spellcaster - (?/?)_

"You chose that monster?" Konami asked.

"That's right, and since she was Special Summoned during my Draw Phase, her effect now activates during the Standby Phase!" Carly explained. "Like my other Fortune Ladies, Past here gains a Level each turn! That's two hundred more Attack Points to destroy you with...not that she'll be needing to use them for what I have planned!"

The hooded witch growled softly as her power increased, displaying itself as a wicked black aura that seeped off her skin.

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV2 - DARK - Spellcaster - (400/400)_

"Not needing to use them is right, because even with an extra Level, she's no match for my Black Brutdrago!" Konami explained.

"No, but then we both know that she doesn't need to be, especially once I activate her true effect!" Carly laughed. "By banishing Spellcaster monsters from my Deck, field, and Graveyard, I can raise or lower her Level as I see fit, and I'm going to do precisely that! I now banish my Fortune Lady Dark, Fortune Lady Light, Fortune Lady Earth, Fortune Lady Wind, Fortune Fairy Anne, Fortune Fairy Swee, Fortune Fairy En, and Fortune Fairy Hikari from my Graveyard, as well as the Fortune Lady Water and Solitaire Magician in my to decrease her Level by Ten! And since you yourself know that Fortune Lady Past can't be Level Zero, that means her Level drops with each monster I've banished! Since she was Level Two and I've banished ten monsters, that makes her a Negative Level Nine monster!"

The black aura surrounding Past grew even darker as its effect took hold, and Konami had to buckle down and shift his weight lest he be blown away! The hooded witch smirked at his decision, and promptly let out an empowered yell as its Level descended to new dark lows.

 _Fortune Lady Past - LV(-9) - DARK - Spellcaster - ((-2000)/(-2000))_

"A Negative Level Nine? Don't tell me you're planning on performing a Dark Synchro? But you don't have any monsters to tune her with!" Konami shouted.

"I will soon enough," Carly said, "because in case you've forgotten, I've yet to use my Normal Summon! I summon Crystal Seer in Attack Mode."

With a flash of light, a red-robed seer materialized next to the raging Past. Three floating crystal balls hovered between her hands, sparking with mystical energies that allowed to her gaze into the past and future. She hummed thoughtfully as she turned her eyes from the swirling orbs, then closed her in preparation for what was to come.

 _Crystal Seer - LV1 - WATER - Spellcaster - (100/100)_

"A Level One monster, that means it'll be a Negative Level Eight...!"

"That's right, Konami!" Carly laughed eagerly, eyes brimming with the power of the Immortals once more. "And now that I have means to summon such a monster, it's time for our deadly duet to grow even darker than before!"

She threw her hand forward, eyes lighting up with glee as the Mark on her arm burned hot and heavy. Rays of dark light leapt from its form, engulfing her field with its terrible power and urging Lady Past and Crystal Seer on. Together, the two monsters leapt into the sky, skewering each other to release the shining spheres that represented their Levels.

Surrounding the single white glow of Crystal Seer, Lady Past's nine black orbs sparked with energy and rage. They circled around the Crystal Seer's like planets in orbit, then collided together with it to create a blazing pillar as black as night.

"Here it comes!" Konami grunted, nearly blown away by the raging winds that accompanied the pillar's appearance. His own Mark throbbed in response, attempting to enthrall him further as he watched Carly complete her devilish scheme.

 _"Devil known as the King of Flies! Cast your shadow on this disgusting world! Lead us further into darkness, and free the evil we hold within! Dark Synchro! Dominate him, Diabolic Dragon Beelze!"_

 _Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons - LV(-8) - DARK - Dragon - (3000/3000)_

With a thunderous crack, the black pillar burst and shattered. A pair of hissing snarls echoes out through the ruined street, and as Konami opened his eyes to face the noise, he saw it: two long slender dragon heads, extending from a single, horrid body that bore the face of a fly. Its eyes, all three pairs of them, shone a wicked yellow color, brimming with the power of the Immortals as a long and slimy tail snaked out across the ground. Two spiked arms shot out from its main body, bearing long clawed hands at the end of each that would easily tear through anything it faced. Carly laughed maniacally as the beast reared itself up behind her, then she grinned at Konami with a self-satisfied smile.

"This is it, Konami...the monster that I'll use to set your true heart free!" she said as the monster loosed another pair of raging roars. "I wonder...do you have what it takes to stand against it, or will your futile fight against destiny end here? Let's find out, shall we? Go, my Beelze. Attack Konami's Black Brutdrago!"

"What?!" Konami gasped, glancing up at the snarling beast as its two heads lifted themselves and began charging energy. "Are you mad? Our monsters have the same number of Attack Points! If you attack now, then you'll only destroy them both!"

"Is that what you think?" Carly asked him. "Fool, don't underestimate the power of darkness! Beelze, what are you waiting for? I said attack! Attack, _Attack, ATTACK!_ "

"Go, Black Brutdrago!" Konami commanded in reply, ordering his own dragon to rush headfirst into battle.

Lightning crashed around them as Brutdrago galloped forward, its powerful fists cracking the road with each step. Once it was in range, it raised its fist to strike, but Beelze's heads were faster. One quickly snapped its jaws down upon the arm to stop the blow mid-strike, while the other snaked its way around Brutdrago's other arm, binding its two weapons in place.

Brutdrago snarled in rage as it attempted to free itself, but as it hovered there, unable to strike, Beelze's main body moved in! Unleashing a flurry of blows with its own clawed hands, the Diabolic Dragon cleaved Brutdrago's stomach open, spilling the crimson red energy that swirled within. Brutdrago screamed in pain as it happened, and then bit down upon one of the two heads imprisoning its arms. The act only served to make Beelze loose an annoyed growl of its own, and it flung Brutdrago backward, tossing the beast through the sky toward Konami.

"Ah...!" he breathed, eyes wide as his falling monster approached. Before it could land on him, however, Beelze unleashed a two mighty rays of destruction from its draconic heads. They smashed into Brutdrago before he could land, obliterating the beast and sending a roaring explosion out into the world.

 _"UAAAAAAAAGH!"_ Konami screamed as he was tossed backward by the force of the blow, despite not taking any battle damage.

Carly giggled at the sight, lips parting into an amused smile as she watched Konami crawl back to his feet.

"What's this...?" He muttered, "Even though they had the same number of Attack Points...your monster is still there?"

"Surprised?" Carly asked, delighted. "Your Black Brutdrago never stood a chance! You see, my dear Beelze here can't be destroyed by battle! Unfortunately for you, that means that no matter what you throw at it, you're destined to lose!"

"I'm not so sure about that!" Konami replied, eyes revealing the slightest shade of purple as he spoke. "You might have destroyed my Brutdrago, but you haven't stopped his effect! When he's destroyed and sent to my Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Gemini monster from my Grave, and even better, I get to treat that monster as if its already gained its effect! So come on back, Evocator Eveque!"

The flaming warrior of the ball and chain harrumphed as it reappeared on the field, ready to serve Konami once again.

 _Evocator Eveque - LV4 - FIRE - Warrior - (1500/1000)_

"And since Eveque is treated as an Effect monster, that means its effect now activates as well!" Konami continued. "When it gets Normal or Special Summoned, I get to Special Summon a Gemini monster from my Graveyard! He might've only been gone for a bit, but I'd say it's time you welcomed back my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

The raging demon snarled as it emerged from the clearing smoke, slicing through the fog as it prepared for another bout with one of Carly's monsters.

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"So you still had a few tricks up your sleeve, huh?" Carly inquired. "No matter. Your fate will be the same regardless. I set one card face-down, and end my Turn."

"My move, then." Konami said, casting his gaze to his Deck. "I-"

 _"-kun!"_

 _"-onami-kun!"_

He paused; some noise was scratching at his ears.

It was high-pitched and grating, and yet, somehow endearing all the same.

He shook his head, attempting to clear his mind of any distractions.

"My turn," he tried again, "I said, I dr-"

 _"KONAMI-KUN!"_

 _"WHAT?!"_ he snapped, casting his eyes behind him to where Wisteria stood, half-stretched out the window of Mathew's van.

Wait, what?

"You?!" he gasped, glancing at the van and its two passengers in shock. "What are you idiots doing here?! Don't you see it's dangerous?!"

"That's what we've been trying to tell you!" Enzo complained, revealing himself as the driver as he pulled his head out the window. "Like, did you have some earplugs in or something? We've been trying to get your attention ever since you started this Turbo Duel of yours!"

"What?!" Konami breathed, "Why!?"

"Because, _moron_ , you went and started it smack dab in the middle of city!" Enzo roared back. "I thought you'd at least have the sense to take her out to the frontier before kicking her butt, but instead, you lost it and started things right off the bat! What the hell's wrong with you? Aren't you thinking about the people who live here?!"

"Wait, _what?_ " Konami asked, eyes widening in shock. "What are you talking about, I don't see anyone-"

His eyes suddenly widened and he turned, taking in the surroundings as if seeing them for the first time. The streets were ablaze with the power of the overlapped geoglyphs, brimming with fire and hate. Buildings trembled with smoke and ash, their windows shattered and torn as a result of the numerous attacks from Aslla Piscu earlier. And the streets...

They were completely ruined. Rubble blocked off the path back North, no doubt a result of Black Brutdrago's earlier effect. Upturned vehicles and exploded street lamps lay wasted on the sidewalks, sparking and flickering with what little life they had left. In the distance, he could see several wounded pedestrians fleeing from danger, their cries unheard in the wake of the endless roar of the purple flames that sealed their fate.

This was the path of destruction he'd carved out alongside Carly; this was the result of his willingness to duel her. This...was all his fault.

And deep down, some part of him wanted to see more of it.

"No way...!" he whispered, taking a step back in shock.

"A beautiful view, isn't it?" Carly asked, smirking as she spoke. "This is the fate awaits us in the future. A city filled in chaos, drowned in the power of darkness...! Enjoy it, Konami! It's an all-you-can-eat buffet!"

"Ughk...!" Konami grit his teeth, bringing a hand to his mouth to keep from spewing. He fell to one knee, breathing rapidly as the screams of his Mark called for more bloodshed, more violence!

"Oh god, did we really duel in the middle of the city?" he wondered, shaking his disbelief, "I never noticed. I didn't think! I...damn, all those people, I-!"

"Didn't care," Carly explained with a smile. "Such is the way of we Dark Signers. There's no need to care for insects. All that matters is our own desire. It doesn't matter who gets hurt in the process! So take in this sight, embrace it, for this is who you are!"

"No, don't listen to her, Konami!" Wisteria commanded. "This isn't you, it's just that Mark of yours going out of control! I noticed it the moment you arrived! It's been blazing ever since you got close to Carly! You have to listen to me, don't let it consume you! Call this Duel off, get ahold of your senses before more people get hurt!"

"Silence, girl!" Carly roared, glaring at her with wide, black eyes. "This doesn't concern you. Right now, the only one Konami needs to have eyes for is me. Our dark dance has neared its completion, and soon, he will be reborn as a servant of the true rulers of this world!"

Beelze roared in agreement, releasing a wave of bloody miasma from its body that threatened to blow the van and its passengers away.

"Uaaaagah!" Enzo shouted in surprise and fear, buckling down within the van as the gust of purple wind nearly flipped the van over.

"Carly, stop this!" Konami shouted. "There's no need to involve anyone else!"

"You're right, there's no need for anyone else, so keep your eyes focused on me, partner!" Carly commanded gleefully. "I'm the only one you need to pay attention to right now. Me...and your future by my side."

"Konami, no!" Wisteria shouted. "Don't do it!"

"Do you really think she'll just let me run away?" Konami asked. "There's no way I can, not when we've already gone on this long! Besides, if I end things now, then the damage caused by our duel won't be undone! Like it or not, I have to see this battle through to the end! It's the only way to fix my mistake!"

"That's good," Carly praised. "Indeed, if you want to save those you've put in harm's way, you'll have to dive even deeper into the shadows with me! Deeper and deeper, until all you can hear is my voice and that of the Immortal that's chosen you!"

"Konami, no!" Wisteria tried again.

"Enzo, you and Wisteria should get out of here!" Konami roared, turning from them to face Carly. "The last thing I need right now is for you to be sacrificed if she tries to Tribute Summon Aslla Piscu again!"

"No, we aren't just leaving you here!" the girl complained.

"Hate to say it pal, but I don't think she'll go without a fight!" Enzo said. "You more than anyone can know how stubborn she is!"

"It doesn't matter how stubborn she is! Drag her away by force if you have to! I don't want either of you in harm's way when I'm dueling her!"

"In harm's way," Wisteria asked, "or _in_ the way?!"

"What?"

"Listen, that Mark...it's not good for you!" she pleaded, "I know I agreed to help you with this earlier, but we clearly don't understand enough about what's going on with it! It's changing you in ways you don't understand, and if you keep going down this path, then there might not be any coming back! Please Konami, for once in your life just listen to me!"

"I...I...!" Konami squinted his eyes shut, the Mark on his arm burning darker and hotter with each passing moment. " _ **I'M DUELING HER!**_ " He finally decided, his gaze snapping open to reveal a pair of glowing purple eyes.

"No!" Wisteria screamed.

"That's the way!" Carly praised, her eyes lighting up with the same power. "Let's fall deeper into the darkness together!"

"The only one who'll be falling into the darkness is you, because as you've already said," Konami taunted, "it's my move. I draw!"

 **TURN NINE - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND**

"And now that I've drawn a card, I think I'll draw some more with the power of my Pot of Greed!" he then said, sliding the iconic Spell into his Duel Disk. The large green pot emerged from the ground beside him, grinning greedily at Carly as Konami faced her. "This card allows me to draw two cards from Deck, which means two more cards I can use to beat you two times faster!"

"Ooooh," Carly whistled. "Playing banned cards now, are you?"

"No tournament, no rules," Konami replied.

"Well aren't you the little devil?"

"Hmph, if you liked that, then you'll love this," Konami continued, "because now I'm Gemini Summoning my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

The red-eyed demon roared as a field of lightning sparked to life around it, imbuing it with the power of its Gemini Form and granting it the strength to destroy.

"What's with the lightshow?" Enzo asked.

"Don't ask me," Wisteria hissed. "I've never seen him use that card before!"

"Next," Konami continued, ignoring them, "I'm activating the effect of the Black Metal Dragon in my hand!"

A high-pitch screech filled the air as Konami placed the card on his Duel Disk, and a mechanical black dragon crashed down upon the streets. Standing on its two legs, it gazed upon Carly through several of its round green eyes, waiting for the opportunity to beat her down.

 _Black Metal Dragon - LV1 - DARK - Dragon - (600/600)_

"With this, I can target one "Red-Eyes" monster I control, equip this card to it, and then increase that monster's Attack Points by six hundred! As the only monster on my field that fits the bill, I'm sure you know who I'm choosing!"

"Red-Eyes Archfiend, of course." Carly said with a smirk. "Go ahead, see what it gets you!"

"There's no need, I already know!" Konami replied, watching as his Black Metal Dragon suddenly spun onto the Archfiend's back, transforming itself into a thick mechanical ooze. Limb by limb, it engulfed the Red-Eyes Archfiend, encasing its body within a thick metal shell that provided even more power in combat!

 _Red-Eyes Black Metal Archfiend of Lightning - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (3100/1200)_

"Thirty one hundred Attack Points!" Enzo shouted from the sidelines, "That's enough to get over Beelze!"

"Nice move, but it won't work!" Carly told Konami. "In case you've forgotten, my Beelze is immune to destruction by battle!"

"Which is why I won't be striking it down in battle, but rather, with my Red-Eyes Archfiend's special effect! Thanks to me unleashing its Gemini Skill, once per Turn, I can destroy all monsters you control whose Defense Points are lower than my Archfiend's Attack! Your Beelze has three thousand Defense Points, which means that right now, my Archfiend is powerful enough to destroy it!"

"I see, so that's the reason why he increased his Red-Eyes Archfiend's Attack! If this move goes through, he'll be able to attack Carly directly with either of his monsters and win the Duel!"

Red-Eyes Archfiend snarled angrily at the Diabolic Dragon, rearing itself back in preparation to strike. Bolts of lightning crashed down upon its body, spreading across its body even more than usual thanks to the sheen of metal supplied by the Black Metal Dragon. Once it gathered enough in its claws, Red-Eyes Archfiend swung them forward, releasing the electricity in a single wave of destructive power. Carly's eyes went wide as it approached, but Beelze immediately moved to defend her, bowing its two draconic heads in front of her body to take the hit!

"Now begone from my sight, abomination!" Konami growled, grinning viciously as the lightning exploded on contact, obliterating Carly's field in a blinding light.

""Ugh...!"" Wisteria and Enzo hissed, shielding their eyes from the bright glow.

As it faded, they slowly opened their eyes, expecting to see victory...but were instead met with a shocking sight.

Beelze had survived, completely unscathed!

"Sorry," Carly apologized, though she didn't sound sorry at all. "Did I forget to mention it? Beelze can't be destroyed by card effects, either!"

"Damned witch," Konami grunted. "Still hiding your monster's effects, are you?"

"You cause crashes, I keep secrets. It's a match made in hell, wouldn't you say?!" Carly laughed.

"That's incredible!" Enzo gasped, "A monster that can't be destroyed by battle _or_ card effect! How's he supposed to beat it then?!"

"Simple," Carly told the boy. "He's not."

"But I don't have to, do I?" Konami asked. "Your monster may survive the fight, but _you'll still take the damage!_ Red-Eyes Archfiend, attack with everything you've got! _Demon Lightning!_ "

Red-Eyes Archfiend snarled as it gathered the electricity of the sky in its claws once more. Beelze moved forward to take the hit yet again, but this time, the Archfiend was ready! It swung its lightning-infused claw toward the behemoth, slashing right across its bug-eyed face and sending streams of electricity through the ugly beast. They tore through Beelze with ease, ripping the monster asunder, yet keeping it alive all the same.

No, their true target was beyond him, and after cleaving through its dark scales, they surged toward Carly, zapping with with what strength remained!

" _Haaaaa...ahhhh!"_ Carly screamed, tightening her fists in pain as the lightning coursed through her.

 **CARLY - 300 LP  
KONAMI - 700 LP**

"Alright!" Enzo cheered from the van, "Just a little more, and Konami's won this thing! He's practically got this!"

"Actually, he doesn't, because I'm activating my Beelze's effect!" Carly shouted.

"Another one?!" Wisteria gasped.

"When I take damage, be it from battle or card effect, Beelze takes that damage and turns into power! In other words, since I've taken a hundred points of damage, Beelze gains a hundred Attack Points!"

"But that means Beelze will have the same number of Attack Points as Konami's Archfiend now!" Enzo complained.

"That's the point," Carly chuckled, "and since Beelze can't be destroyed by battle, it means that next turn, Konami's field will be wide open once again!"

Beelze hissed softly as the wounds on its body suddenly vanished, transforming into streams of black smoke that vanished inside its mouth. The sucked in energy then began to emit a dark aura from the dark dragon, increasing its power until it matched Red-Eyes Archfiend.

 _Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons - LV(-8) - DARK - Dragon - (3100/3000)_

"If you plan to destroy my monsters next turn...then I suppose I'd better prepare for it!" Konami grunted. "I activate the Spell Card, Supervise! I can equip this to one Gemini monster I control, and treat that monster as if it has gained its effect! The card I target is...my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

"But your Red-Eyes Archfiend has already gained its effect!" Carly said.

"And?" Konami inquired. "If you think common sense is enough to stop me, think again. Now that I've equipped my Archfiend with Supervise, I change my Evocator Eveque to Defense Position and end my Turn."

"Think the two little face-downs you placed earlier will be enough, do you?" Carly asked. "Well, we'll just see about that! It's my Turn now, I draw!"

 **TURN TEN - CARLY - TWO CARDS IN HAND**

"And now that I've drawn, I'm activating my face-down card, _Return from the Different Dimension!_ " she screamed.

The pink Trap flipped upward to reveal its artwork, and Konami scowled as he realized what it meant.

"And you had the gall to call me out for banned cards?" He mocked.

"What can I say?" Carly asked. "Birds of a feather should stick together! And with this, so can my monsters, because it'll let me summon as many of them as I can from my Banished Zone! And, thanks to the effect of my Fortune Lady Past, I have a whole squadron of them to choose from! Let's see, I think I'll call back my Fortune Lady Dark, Fortune Lady Earth, Fortune Lady Wind, and Fortune Lady Water!"

Streaks of purple, brown, green, and blue light burst from the Different Dimension Trap as Carly shouted their names, and they crashed down upon the field with all of the force and flair of a magical girl group. Together as one, the four wicked women posed alongside Beelze, instantly increasing Carly's monster count from one to five!

 _Fortune Lady Dark - LV5 - DARK - Spellcaster - (2000/2000)_

 _Fortune Lady Earth - LV6 - EARTH - Spellcaster - (2400/2400)_

 _Fortune Lady Wind - LV3 - WIND - Spellcaster - (900/900)_

 _Fortune Lady Water - LV4 - WATER - Spellcaster - (1200/1200)_

"No way! She brought all those monsters out with one card!" Enzo shouted. "Konami, tell me you've got something to deal with this!"

Konami didn't answer; he was too focused on the duel, too caught in the desperate battle he and Carly were locked into!

"Your Fortune Ladies might be numerous, but they won't be enough to beat me, Carly!" he declared.

"Is that so? In that case, I suppose you won't mind if I use their effects!" Carly called. "First, since my Fortune Lady Water was Special Summoned last, her effect activates! If she's Special Summoned while I control another Fortune Lady, I get to draw two new cards from my Deck!"

She cackled softly as she did just that, then glanced at the cards with a wide-eyed grin.

"Next," she continued deliciously, "the natural-born power of my Ladies kicks in! Since I used my Trap during my Draw Phase, that means that we now proceed to the Standby Phase, and all of my Ladies now gain another Level! And with another Level comes additional Attack Points to go with it!"

An explosion of colorful energy filled the field as their effects kicked in, granting them more and more power to use in service of Carly and Aslla Piscu!

 _Fortune Lady Dark - LV5 - DARK - Spellcaster - (2400/2400)_

 _Fortune Lady Earth - LV7 - EARTH - Spellcaster - (2800/2800)_

 _Fortune Lady Wind - LV4 - WIND - Spellcaster - (1200/1200)_

 _Fortune Lady Water - LV5 - WATER - Spellcaster - (1500/1500)_

"That's good, but it's not good enough!" Konami roared, his blazing eyes glaring at the fiendish girls.

"Then how's this?!" Carly asked. "Fortune Lady Earth's effect now activates! Since her Level has increased, she now inflicts four hundred points of effect damage to you!"

"What?!" Enzo shouted, "That's not good!"

"It's fine!" Konami told him, shocking the boy. "Come, Carly! Hit me with everything you've got!"

Wisteria and Enzo glanced to him in surprise, his wide grin and glowing eyes unnerving them as he spoke.

"Konami-kun..." Wisteria whispered.

"Come on, Carly!" the red-capped Dark Signer taunted, beckoning her on with her hands. "Weren't you going to awaken me? Come on, I'm giving you a free shot!"

"Hehaha...you heard him Lady Earth!" Carly said. "Give him a beating worthy of his station! _Cursed Thorn!_ "

Konami laughed as Fortune Lady Earth leapt toward him, swinging down her scythe-sided staff in a cleaving blow. It slashed across his chest heavily, sending him staggering backward in pain even as he continued to laugh and smile.

 **CARLY - 150 LP  
KONAMI - 300 LP**

"Come on! You've got more, don't you?! Hit me! Break me! Show me what you can do!"

"With pleasure," Carly replied. "Battle Phase! Beelze, Attack Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

The Diabolic Dragon roared at Carly's command, releasing a jetstream of powerful miasma that consumed the metal archfiend whole. Konami grinned as the monster vanished from his field, disappearing in a mighty explosion that rocked the streets and almost sent his companions flying away.

"Not a bad start, but you'll have to do better than that!" he laughed. "I activate the effect of Black Metal Dragon! Since it was equipped to the Red-Eyes Archfiend you destroyed, it got sent to the graveyard alongside it, which means I can use its effect! This means I get to add one "Red-Eyes" monster from my Deck to my hand, and I have just the one in mind, the Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"

He revealed the card of the flaming black dragon before shuffling it into his hand.

"And don't think I'm stopping there," he continued, "because my Supervise went to the Graveyard with Red-Eyes Archfiend as well, and that means its effect now activates!"

"I knew you used it for a reason!" Carly smirked. "It had another effect!"

"That's right," Konami praised. "When Supervise is sent to the Graveyard from the field, I can Special Summon one Normal monster from my Grave, and since my Gemini monsters are treated as Normal in the Graveyard...you can give a warm welcome back to my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

The Red-Eyes Archfiend roared as it was called to the field for a third time, glowering as it raised its fists for another go.

"So you brought your precious fiend back," Carly noted, "but don't forget, since Black Metal Dragon is no longer equipped to it, it no longer has the extra Attack Points!"

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"She's right!" Wisteria shouted. "And since it only has twenty five hundred Attack Points now, that means that her Fortune Lady Earth is strong enough to beat it!"

"And that's precisely what it'll do," Carly chuckled. "And with twenty eight hundred Attack Points, she has just enough to strength to finish you off and end this Duel!"

"Go right ahead, if you think you can!" Konami taunted.

"Konami, no! You have to do something! Don't throw away your field like this!" Wisteria shouted.

"You're too late!" Carly told her. "Konami's long gone by now! All that remains of him is the Dark Signer within, and now, I'll set it free! Go, Fortune Lady Earth! Destroy the Red-Eyes Archfiend and send the last of Konami's Life Points to the Grave!"

Fortune Lady Earth laughed wildly as she leapt forward once more, spinning her staff around in her hands before bringing it down upon the archfiend one last time. The great demon screamed in pain as its body was cleaved in two, and it exploded into a fiery horde of debris that raced out across the field.

"Konami!" Wisteria screamed in worry and fear.

Konami's eyes widened as the attack drew near, and his grin grew even brighter as he swung his hand outward.

"Too bad, Carly! I still have Defense Draw!" he told her, activating the Trap just before the explosion hit. "It'll turn the battle damage of your attack to zero, and allow me to draw one card!"

"He still had a Trap card!" Wisteria breathed in relief.

"Tsk...! So you managed to dodge it," Carly muttered. "But no matter, if Earthy won't be the one to defeat you, I still have some monsters who can! But first, I'll need to rid you of your final defense! Go, Fortune Lady Dark! Destroy Konami's Evocator Eveque!"

"Tch...!" the witch grunted, annoyed at being called upon. Scoffing angrily, she thrusted her staff forward, releasing a wave of black energy that crashed upon the crimson warrior, bathing it in dark light.

The monster screamed as the power tore it asunder, leaving Konami's field wide open for further attacks.

"He might've gotten out of that last one, but he's in for it now!" Enzo worried.

"Finally, this long Duel shall come to an end! Go, Fortune Lady Water, Fortune Lady Wind! Attack Konami directly, and take his tormented soul!"

The last two members of Carly's summoned monsters leapt forward at that moment, raising their scythes as they prepared to land the finishing blow. As they drew close, however, Konami's glowing eyes widened further, and he swung his hand out toward his Duel Disk.

"You've failed, Carly! I activate Battle Fader!" he shouted, calling forth the fight-ender from his hand. "When you declare a direct attack, I can Special Summon this card from my hand and end the Battle Phase!"

"You what?!" Carly hissed, glowering as the staff-shaped fiend materialized and released a burst of light that knocked her Fortune Ladies back. "But we were doing so well together!"

"Sorry, but it looks like you...just aren't good enough."

Carly grimaced at the words, clenching her fist as she took in his mocking tone.

"No, I see what's happening here," she told him. "You're hesitating. You stand on the edge of darkness, but you're still afraid to take the last leap! Well, don't worry, partner. I'm here to give you a little push!"

"What?" Enzo asked, "But your Battle Phase is already over and done with!"

"Fool," Carly spat. "Just because my Battle Phase has ended doesn't mean my Turn has! I still have cards in my hand, and that means I still have moves to make! I activate my Foolish Burial Goods Spell card! This lets me send one Spell or Trap from my Deck to the Graveyard, and I know just the one to bring you back into the dark!" she told Konami. "I send the Field Spell... _Future Visions!_ "

A copy of the named card flew from her Duel Disk into the Graveyard slot, and Carly began to smirk once more.

"Of course, it won't be there for long, because now I'm going to activate I've used once before! This time, however, it won't be a Speed Spell! I play...Earthbound Revival!"

"Oh no!" Wisteria shouted, "That's the card she used to add Aslla Piscu to her hand!"

"Yes," Carly said, praising Wisteria's memory, "but this time, it won't just be adding my Earthbound Immortal. Since this is a Standing Duel, this time it lets me add a Field Spell from my Grave to my hand as well!"

"And your Future Visions is already there," Konami realized, "ripe for the taking."

"Right again," Carly purred, adding both Future Visions and Aslla Piscu to her hand. "Now, it's time for you to stop hesitating, partner. With this card, I shall reveal your future, and show you just what you have to look forward to. I activate Future Visions!"

She slid the card into her Field Zone slot, grinning as its presence immediately began to warp the world around them. The streets of the city and dark smoky sky vanished, and so too did Wisteria and Enzo. Once again, it was just Konami and Carly, and the growing purple world in which they stood.

"What's this?" Konami asked, glancing around the strangely-colored world. "Some kind of psychedelic vision?"

"Yes," Carly told him, "only this...is the vision of your future."

"What?" Konami asked, glancing toward her in surprise.

A blazing Duel Runner suddenly cut between them, barreling over into a crash as the world burned around it. Konami glanced to its appearance in shock, immediately recognizing the vehicle for what it was.

"That's...!"

It was the Yusei Go, the Duel Runner Yusei and his Satellite friends had poured their heart and soul into! And next to it, struggling to stand as he emerged from the wreckage, was...

"Yusei..." Konami whispered, his mouth set into a thin frown.

" _You lose, Fudo."_ A voice called from another Duel Runner that arrived on the scene. It's owner proceeded to let loose a dark chuckle, then stepped down onto the Signer's exposed hand as they dismounted their ride. _"Better luck next time, I guess."_

The voice was familiar, Konami realized. It only took him a moment to realize why.

It was his own.

 _"Konami..."_ the vision-Yusei whispered, eyes smashed shut in pain as he spoke. _"You don't have to do this! Even now, you're still our..."_

 _"Friend?"_ a third voice asked, roaring onto the scene in their own Duel Runner alongside two others. Like the vision-Konami, the newcomers were all dressed in the regalia of the Dark Signers, each wielding their very own Mark of the Shadows that burned so terribly bright. _"I think we've already seen exactly what you do to your friends, haven't we Yusei? Kaehahahahaiah!"_

"Kalin," the real Konami realized. "And the other two must be..."

Misty, of course, clad in the green-trim robe like the last time he'd seen her.

Then there was Carly, herself.

 _"It's not too late, Konami..."_ the vision-Yusei whispered. _"We won't judge you...for what you've done. I know that right now, the Dark Signers are fighting for E'Rah and the destruction of this world... Don't help them. Return to your senses, and save this world..!"_

 _"Poor boy,"_ the vision-Misty said, _"Do you really think that will have any effect? All of your friends before you have already tried that, but it's too late. Konami's heart is already beyond anyone's reach. And since you've lost that pitiful Duel, your last and final chance to win him back has gone up in smoke!"_

 _"You're pathetic, Yusei!"_ Vision-Kalin cackled, _"Where's all your confidence now?!"_

 _"Urgh...Konami...don't forget our bond. Even now, you're still our...ugh...our friend..."_ And with those words, the last Signer fell, vanishing into eternal darkness.

 _"Mwahahahahahaha!"_ the vision-Carly laughed. _"We've done it! All of the Signers have been defeated! As expected, K, you didn't disappoint."_

 _"So?"_ Vision-Kalin asked, _"Are you satisfied yet!?"_

 _"You only fought against the Signers because it was a challenge, right?"_ Vision-Misty inquired. _"Is there anyone else you feel is worth dealing with?"_

The vision-Konami glanced behind himself, seeing the many corpses he'd buried to reach this goal. Enzo, Wisteria, Mathew, Chazz...even Alexis and Jaden, when they'd foolishly tried to get involved.

 _"No,"_ he said finally, turning to face ahead once more. _"There's...no one left."_

"Hear that, partner?" the real Carly asked, bringing Konami back from the view. "No one left. Just you and the rest of us...and a world ripe for the taking. We can do anything, beat anyone! All you have to do...is give in to the power within you!"

"Is that...really my future?" Konami asked. "Is this the end of the road...I've set us upon?"

"Don't like it?" Carly inquired, a smirk pulling at her lips. "Well, I'm afraid it's too late to back out now! The final turn has already been reached, and now, it's time for you to take your first step toward the destruction of the Signers!"

The vision shattered completely as the field returned to normal, revealing their monsters once again.

"I tribute my Fortune Ladies Earth and Dark to call forth Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu once again!" Carly shouted, the glow in her eyes growing even brighter as the beating heart of her hummingbird appeared yet again.

The last few cards of her victims fell to the ground as it sucked in the surroundings souls for a third team, leaving Wisteria and Enzo alive but in shock as they gazed upon the horrifying scene.

"Not again...!" Enzo gasped, clasping his hands over his ears as the sounds of their wails filled the air.

 _"The Netherworld opens yet again!"_ Carly chanted, grinning as streaks of purple light burst from the beating heart. _"Advance Summon! Earthbound Aslla Piscu!_ "

For the third time, she placed the card face-up on her field. For the third time, the flames of her geoglyph roared to life.

Lightning and roaring thunder crashed down upon the streets, setting the world ablaze as the kaiju-sized hummingbird emerged from the gates of the Netherworld. It spread its wings victoriously as it took to the field, and Carly grinned, knowing just what to do next.

"Now, the effect of my Future Visions activates!" she shouted, prompting the purple color of her Field Spell to return and dye the street in its nasty glow. "When a monster is Normal Summoned, it gets banished one turn into the future!"

"What did you say?!" Enzo shouted in shock.

"Since my Aslla Piscu was Tribute Summoned," Carly continued, ignoring him, "that means that it gets banished, and you know what that means."

"Its effect will activate, destroying my monsters and inflicting eight hundred damage for each." Konami mused.

"Right now, you only control one monster - Battle Fader," Carly whispered, "However, that's still enough to wipe out the rest of your Life Points!"

Aslla Piscu screeched as it drove its beak down toward the ground toward Konami's monster, but he was already prepared for it, and quickly cast a card out from his hand.

"Sorry to disappoint you," he told Carly, "but you're wrong if you think you've beaten me! I activate Junkuriboh from my hand! When you activate a card or effect that would inflict damage to me, I can discard him to negate your activation!"

"Huh?!" Carly shouted, her eyes going wide as the purple-eyed machine deployed a shield around Konami and his monsters. The energy blocked the incoming attack from Piscu, protecting Konami and his Life Points from being injured and forcing the Earthbound back into the skies. Its job done, Junkuriboh then vanished as well, but not before giving Konami a confident wink.

"Uh, is it just me," Enzo asked, "or did that kuriboh monster just now look a lot like Yusei?!"

"I won't cast anyone aside," Konami grumbled. "And I won't give in to this darkness! Your words won't sway me any longer."

"Tsk..! If my words won't change you, then my power will!" Carly snapped. "On my next turn, Aslla Piscu will return to the field and finish you off! Before that, however, the remaining Fortune Ladies I summoned with my Trap card return to the Banished Zone. It's unfortunate, but their time in this world has come to an end."

The remaining Fortune Lady Wind and Fortune Lady Water vanished with the words, returning to streaks of light that shot away into the distance. Konami watched them leave with a growl, then cast his gaze back toward Carly.

"Then it looks like it's my Turn again," he said.

"Yes," Carly confirmed, "but be careful, because if you don't do something quick, Aslla Piscu will be the one to finish you!"

"Yes. That is, unless I prepare for it," Konami murmured, though - as the Mark continued to burn his resistance away - he found it hard to muster up the willingness to do so. "It's my Turn, Carly. I draw!"

 **TURN ELEVEN - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS**

" _With Future Visions_ _on the field, if I Normal Summon a monster, it will be banished until my next Turn, keeping it out of the fight. Right now I only have Battle Fader to defend myself with, but that won't matter when Aslla Piscu returns next round and attacks me directly! I need to block both it and Beelze's attack if I want to win this Duel, so my best bet would be to...'_

"I set a monster in Defense Position!" he decided, prompting a reverse card to appear beside Battle Fader. "And I'll set one more card face-down. That's all."

"Not a very impressive Turn, was it?" Carly asked. "What's wrong, did I drain the willingness to fight out of you?"

"It's true that I can hear the Shadows calling me..." Konami admitted, closing his eyes, "but whether they succeed in taking me or not depends on you. It's your turn, Carly. Do with it what you will!"

"Konami-kun..." Wisteria whispered worriedly, "Don't tell me...you're willing to let her beat you?"

Konami was silent, eyes focused on Carly as they had been ever since his eyes had begun to glow.

"If you don't want to put up a fight, that's fine with me!" Carly laughed. "I'll gladly make you my ally, just don't complain when you have to die first! It's my Turn, I draw!"

She glanced at her drawn card, her eyes widening at the sight of it before glancing back down to Future Visions.

"Due to the effect of my Field Spell," she began immediately, "Aslla Piscu now returns to the field!"

The great hummingbird shrieked as it fell from the skies, ready to devour Konami and his monsters once and for all.

"Oh, no! The direct attacker is back!" Enzo screamed, flailing about in the van.

"Yes," Carly cackled, "and now it will end this Duel! Go, Aslla Piscu! Attack Konami directly with your Earthbound Wave!"

"Not so fast, Carly!" Konami commanded. "I laid a Trap card, _Breakthrough Skill!_ It negates the effects of one face-up monster on the field until the End Phase, rendering your Earthbound's abilities useless!"

"What!?" Carly growled, curling her hands into tight fists. "So I won't be able to attack you directly this turn?"

"That's right. If you want to get at my Life Points, you'll have to do it the old fashioned way."

"Fine," Carly snarled, "If that's what it takes to break you, then I'll destroy your precious allies one by one! Go, Aslla Piscu! If you can't attack directly, at least take out his Battle Fader!"

The hummingbird screeched once more as it released a boundless gust of wind from its wings. They swept onto the field in a swift and violent manner, casting away the rubble and debris and almost knocking the van Wisteria and Enzo were in onto its side. Konami buckled down and took hold of his red hat, keeping it in place even as the cutting winds scratched away at his face and field. In seconds, his Battle Fader shattered under the pressure, casting its cold shards back toward Konami as a result of the violent breeze.

"Urgh...!" Konami grunted, raising an arm to shield himself. "I won't take damage, it was in Defense Position! And I've still got one monster left!"

"Not for long," Carly told him, "Because now I'm attacking you with my Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons! He'll finish off your last monster, and crush whatever light you have left inside!"

The twin-headed dragon roared in agreement, unleashing its powerful miasma in an attempt to drown the world in darkness. Konami grit his teeth and stood against the pressure, shielding his face as the violent stream of energy crashed into his reversed monster card. It flipped upward to reveal the kneeling form of Infinity Dark, then shattered completely, leaving Konami defenseless once again.

"Guh...!" he hissed, falling to one knee in exhaustion as the Mark of the Shadows continued to throb away at his will.

"Konami-kun!" Wisteria shouted, moving in to check on him.

"Stay back!" he yelled at her, "This doesn't concern you!"

His eyes widened as the Mark throbbed once more, and he grit his teeth in pain while grasping at the arm. "Guh...! Gah...!"

" _Hmhmhmhmhaha..._ " Carly chuckled gleefully. "It seems the time has come at last."

A dark miasma began to pour from the Condor Mark, spilling onto Konami's field and engulfing him in its foul mist. Wisteria staggered to a halt as she saw it, her mouth gaping in shock as she saw the energy consume him whole.

"Konami-what's happening to him?!"

"He's reached the threshold," Carly explained. "Any moment now, the friend you know will cease to exist, and all that shall remain is the loyal servant of Wiraqocha Rasca!"

"No, you've got to fight it, Konami! Don't give in to the darkness. Don't pull a Supreme King!" Wisteria pleaded, rushing to his side.

"How...How can you say that right now?!" he asked her, falling to all fours as he struggled with his Mark. "Don't you...have any idea just how painful this is?!"

"...!"

"Don't try to fight it, Konami," Carly said with a grin. "It'll only hurt all the more."

"Tch...! Grrr...!"

"Konami, listen to me! You can't give in to this! Not when you've been through much worse," Wisteria called. "You have to stay focused! You have to remember what's important! What's at stake here! This isn't just a battle between you and Carly, it's a battle with the world at stake! You can't afford to lose! Not to Carly, and certainly not to some overhyped condor! Remember where you came from, all the trials you've been through! Take that pain, and make it your power!"

"My...power...?" Konami asked between breaths, tightening his grip on the arm as it pulsed and throbbed. "Yes...that's right... I lived through much worse than this. I've fought the Sacred Beasts, I faced the Supreme King. I even stared down the Darkness and Yubel. But...all those times I had help! I wasn't fighting alone, not in a battle against myself!"

"And you're not alone now!" she told him. "You have the Signers supporting you, Jaden and the others too! Even Enzo and I, though I know we're no help! Everyone's lending you their aid, so don't give up! Not when you're so close to winning!"

"Foolish girl, you can't stop this." Carly muttered, though amazingly, her words seemed to have some effect.

The miasma was dimming, vanishing from view as its power stabilized, returning to the Mark on Konami's arm.

"What...?" Carly whispered, unable to believe what she was seeing. "Impossible! You should have been reborn just now! How are you still-!"

 _Oh._

So that was how.

Wisteria, that girl, that _nuisance_ , had finally gone and done it. She intruded upon the most sacred moment of a Dark Signer's life...and taken the spotlight for herself.

"W-Whoa..." Enzo sputtered from the van, blinking in surprise though he didn't know why. Anyone could have seen it coming, even from a mile away.

Because there, embraced in the darkness of the Condor, was Wisteria Fujiwara...locking lips with Konami Kodo.

It only lasted a moment, so quick that one blink and you would have missed it, but it had the desired effect.

"Konami-kun..." she whispered, her breath heavy and face flushed, "Are you...okay?"

"W-What?" he asked, mind blank. "O-Oh! Yeah, I think I'm- How did you know that'd work?"

"I didn't," she admitted, "but I'm glad it did."

Carly's boot suddenly stamped on the ground, interrupting whatever moment they'd been having as she shot them with a cold, dark stare.

"You...how is this possible?" she asked. "You should be in ruins right now, praising the name of Wiraqocha Rasca and begging me to finish you off!"

"What can I say?" Konami replied, "Guess these Earthbound Immortals just aren't all they're cracked up to be. That, and...I guess I've got some good friends looking out for me."

"That looked like a little more than just friends, buddy!" Enzo whistled from the van.

Konami glared back at him, but quickly cast his gaze back to where Carly stood, furious.

"Friends?" she muttered. "They're not your friends. They're tools for you to use, obstacles that line your path to true greatness! Wiraqocha Rasca would have freed you of them, but it seems their chains run deeper in you than I thought! No matter, if you won't break the seal of darkness yourself, then I'll simply have to do it for you!"

"What was that?" Konami asked, eyes narrowing at Carly's words.

"I'm activating a Spell!" she shouted, "And just like my Earthbound Revival earlier, this one is a card you've seen before, during our Turbo Duel! I play...Fortune's Future!"

"That card?! But why?!"

"Because if you recall, I still have Fortune Ladies in my Banished Zone, which means I can bury one of them in my Graveyard to draw two cards!" Carly explained. "I choose Fortune Lady Wind, and now claim my prize!"

The blue card appeared for a moment before sliding into Carly's Graveyard slot, freeing up two new cards from the top of her Deck. She drew them both eagerly, eyes brimming with the power of darkness as she revealed them to herself.

"Heh, just what I needed." She stated, glancing to Konami darkly. "First, I'll be activating a new Field Spell I've drawn just now! I replace my face-up Future Visions card...with this, the Earthbound Geoglyph!"

The purple world of Future Visions shattered into dust as Carly swapped cards, prompting Enzo to glance up in surprise at the unmoving Aslla Piscu.

"Hey, what gives?!" Enzo shouted, even as the sudden tremor of Carly's Spell took hold. "I thought Earthbound Immortals were supposed to be destroyed when there's no Field Spell active, no matter how brief the absence might be?!"

"Ordinarily, you'd be correct, however, you've forgotten something!" Carly cackled. "Thanks to Konami's Breakthrough Skill, my Aslla Piscu's effects have been negated until the End Phase! Not only its positive ones...but those that can act as drawbacks as well! In other words, since its effects are negated right now, it won't be destroyed through lack of a Field Spell!"

"Not that it matters anymore, anyway," Konami grunted. "You've just placed a new one...and it's one I know well."

"That's right," Carly noted. "This was one of the cards Wiraqocha Rasca granted to you when you beat Jack. However, now I'm the one taking advantage of its power! But before I do that, I have yet another card to play...one that'll set the darkness in you ablaze!"

"Again with this?" Konami wondered. "I'll admit it. You had drawn me in for a moment there, but I won't let you take hold of me again!"

"Maybe not, but I will be taking hold of one of your cards!" Carly screamed viciously. "I activate...Earthbound Rescue!"

The shimmering green Spell glowed as it emerged beside Carly. It hummed with a dark power, and Carly cackled as Konami stared at it, transfixed.

"Much like Earthbound Revival, this card lets me add a Spell and an "Earthbound" monster to my hand from the Graveyard. The Spell I'll be adding is the one I just used...Fortune's Future!" She revealed the card as she pulled it out of her Graveyard slot. "As for the "Earthbound" monster..."

"There is none!" Konami told her, "You already have Aslla Piscu on your side of the field!"

"You may be right about Aslla Piscu, but you're wrong about the Earthbound Immortal!" Carly explained, pointing towards him. "After all, you've had one in your Graveyard since the beginning of our Duel, and now, the time has come for me to set it free!"

"What? What are you talking about? I don't have any Earthbounds in my Graveyard!"

"Oh, but you do..." Carly chuckled, "It might not be obvious at first glance, but the power of the Earthbound rages within it still."

"Within it...?" Konami wondered. His eyes widened, realization striking him in the heart. "No, you can't be serious?!"

"Oh, but I am!" Carly laughed. "The card I'm adding to my hand...is your Rasca Dawn Dragon!"

"Ah...!" Konami screamed in shock, watching as a black light shot from his Duel Disk and into Carly's outstretched hand.

"Finally," she whispered, her fingers sparking upon touching the black Xyz card, "the time has come for the seal to be broken!"

"You've gone mad!" Konami breathed. "Even if you add Rasca Dawn Dragon to your hand, you won't be summon it! It needs two Level Four monsters to be called forth, and even then, it has to be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck!"

"Fool, you think I'm going to bother summoning your abominable dragon?" Carly spat. "No! What I seek to call forth...is the monster that lies within! Now, feast your eyes on the true power of your Immortal!"

Her Mark burned bright as she spoke, resonating with Konami's own and sending a spark of electricity down both their spines. In a blinding flash of light, Carly's hand burned with power, and the card that was Rasca Dawn Dragon began to shatter and break. Shards of the black background began to fade away, shattering to dust and ash as the brown background of a Level Ten monster was revealed to be hidden within.

"No, stop this Carly!" Konami roared desperately. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"Oh, I know _exactly_ what I'm doing," she shouted back. "With this, the future is set! Be reborn now, _Wiraqocha Rasca!_ "

With one last squeeze of her hand, the black artwork of Rasca Dawn Dragon burned away completely, revealing the Winged Beast hidden within.

"No...!" Konami whispered, falling to his knees as he watched his ace monster disappear.

The card his future self had used to defeat E'Rah, the card that he had laid his hopes and dreams upon...!

It was gone.

" _Hmhmhmhm...hahahaha!"_ Carly laughed victoriously, holding the strongest of the Immortals high above her head. "I've done it! The abominable seal of darkness has been undone! Now, the power of the Immortals shall roam free once more! There's...no stopping your fate!"

"You...!" Konami growled, glaring at the girl who had undone so much in such a short time. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"All that matters now," Carly told him, "is what I'm about to do! And that's reactivate my Fortune's Future Spell card!"

"Again?!" Wisteria gasped, "Just how many cards are you planning to draw?!"

"As many as it takes to put you and your little boyfriend there in your place!" Carly replied. "Fortunately, this should be all I'll need, because by burying my Fortune Lady Water, I can draw two more cards, which I'll immediately set on the field!"

She glanced at the two Spells she drew and immediately did as she said she would, sliding them into her backrow.

"Now that all the set-up has been achieved...it's finally time to make my move."

"Just what are you planning on doing, Carly?!" Konami growled, climbing back to his feet with a glare. "You can't summon another Earthbound Immortal; Aslla Piscu is already on your field!"

Carly smirked at him, the smile lopsided and smug, as if she were looking down on a beaten puppy.

"In an ordinary Duel, you might be right," she said. "However, this is a battle between two Dark Signers! Both of our geoglyphs are tearing through this city, which means there's enough room for two Immortals to rise and fight! I hope you enjoyed that last kiss, Konami, because its time for you and your girlfriend to part ways! Due to the effect of my Earthbound Geoglyph, I can treat a Synchro Monster on the field as two tributes for the summon of an Earthbound Immortal! Though it may be a Dark Synchro monster, Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons still fits these conditions! So, I tribute it..." Carly whispered, raising her new card above her head, "...as well as the souls of those not partaking in this Duel..."

Konami's eyes widened, "Stop! Don't do this, Carly!"

"To call forth, Wiraqocha Rasca!"

She placed the card upon her Duel Disk, and the world vanished in a wave of black light.

* * *

 _ **Chapter Ten - END**_

* * *

 _"This is all my fault...!"_

 _Wisteria and Enzo have been sacrificed for the summon of Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca. Unable to withstand his failure to protect them, yet unwilling to give up the Duel, Konami bets it all on one last card that can set things right. What will come of his Final Turn?_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Left in Ruins! The SOT Disbands!**_

 _"Everyone, I'm sorry."_

* * *

 ** _Read & Review_**


	11. Left in Ruins! The SOT Disbands!

_Konami was sinking._

 _Lost in ecstasy of violence, he fell, plummeting deeper and deeper into the abyss of his own creation. The darkness had him now, and it wouldn't be letting go. The thick miasma of the Condor Mark surrounded him, enthralling him into fulfilling its goals and acting on his deepest, darkest desires. Its fog was all he could see, its whispers were all he could hear. They beckoned him further into the darkness, urging him into casting aside all else and embracing his destiny as a Dark Signer!_

 _He knew something was wrong, but he was too far gone to care._

 _Only the darkness mattered now; the darkness...and the important mission he and Carly were bound to._

 _'That's right,' he thought, mind adrift in the sea of shadows. 'I have a mission...'_

 _An important mission; one whose objectives couldn't be cast aside._

 _He knew it mattered. He remembered that it was important, but somehow, his mind simply couldn't recall the details!_

 _"A mission..."_ _he repeated to himself, eyes glazed with darkness. "What is...my mission...?"_

 _"You've already forgotten?" Carly asked him, her arms snaking out from the shadows to embrace him from behind. "Our mission is..."_

 _Her hooded face drew close to his, and her lips parted to whisper the words in his ear._

 _"Yes," Konami realized, purpose and meaning filling his head as he took in her words. "That's right. Our mission is..."_

 _The destruction of the world, along with those who would protect it._

 _The Signers._

 _The Supreme King and his allies._

 _They would all be destroyed._

 _"Destroyed..." Konami breathed._

 _"Of course," the dark Carly whispered sweetly. "It's only natural. Those people are our enemies. There is no place for them in the new world."_

 _Her embrace tightened, holding him secure as they fell further and further together. As they descended into deeper and darker shadows, the vision she'd shown to him replayed in the mist. Images of the Yusei Go flashed against his eyes, its destruction - along with that of its rider - burning itself into his memory._

 _He saw himself and his dark companions laugh at the Signer's defeat. He watched as Yusei vanished into the darkness, the last victim of a long and bloody war five thousand years in the making. He saw himself declare victory over all those who could defy him, and as he did, a new mark of evil began to form on his face._

 _"This is...my future." Konami whispered, pupils fading into the purple glow of the Immortals. "This is...inevitable."_

 _"That's right," Carly whispered, smirking as she watched Rasca's power take hold. "Now, embrace it, Konami; the power that Wiraqocha Rasca offers you. Let it swell within you and become the force with which we shall rule this world...!"_

 _"Yes. I must...embrace it..."_

 _"NO! YOU'VE GOT THAT WRONG!"_

 _The voice had come from above, raining down on them with a pleading cry that let them know they were no longer alone. Together, Konami and the dark Carly looked up, spotting a crack in the shadowy void through which the smallest sliver of light spilled in._

 _"You can't give in to this!" the voice from the sky shouted desperately. "Not when you've been through so much worse! Remember what's at stake here! Remember who you are! Remember all the trials you've been here, and make that pain your power!"_

 _"That voice..." Konami whispered. "...Who does it belong to...?"_

 _"No one important," the dark Carly told him, hugging him closer as they continued to fall. "Don't let her distract you. The only power you need is that which lies below. The power of Wiraqocha Rasca...the time has come for you to release it."_

 _The Mark of the Condor appeared below them, its terrible light reflecting in their eyes. Konami was nearly there now. He stood upon the threshold, ready to take the plunge._

 _And yet..._

 _"Why do you hesitate?" Carly asked, suddenly beside him with wide, judging eyes. "Wiraqocha Rasca beckons. Take its power. Stand in the dark!"_

 _"Someone's calling me..." he replied._

 _"They can't help," Carly told him. "No one can. Open the door, Konami. Become my partner. See as I see. Drown as I do."_

 _"Yes," Konami replied, and he raised his hand to do just that._

 _But before it could brush against the Mark of the Condor, before it could send him spiraling into a world of darkness from which there was no return, someone caught him. They pulled him into a hug, and in doing so, they brought him back from the brink._

 _"Konami-kun..." they whispered softly, their desperate hold betraying their own fear. "Please, come back to your sense...!"_

 _"Who are you?" Konami asked, casting his gaze down to where his aggressor stood, embracing him. "Why did you stop me?"_

 _There was a moment of silence, during which he took in their small, slender frame. Shadows wrapped around its form, obscuring many of its features from view, but...he could feel it._

 _Somehow, someway, he knew this person._

 _"Who are you?" he asked again, eyes alight with the flames of darkness._

 _"Please, come to your senses, Kokkun!" his assailant pleaded._

 _"Kokkun?"_

 _A flash of familiarity accompanied the words, followed by a swift jolt of electricity that sparked the memories in his brain. Endless images and words filled his mind, scenes of the days gone by - of the many obstacles they'd overcome together. Suddenly, he understood. Suddenly, he remembered._

 _"You're...Wisteria," he breathed. His eyes narrowed a moment later, and he quickly tried to shake the girl off, "Unhand me! This has nothing to do you!"_

 _"I won't!" she refused, clutching him tighter, "Because I know! I know that if I let you go now...you'll go somewhere where I can't reach you!"_

 _"I have to...!" he told her, struggling to move past her and reach the Mark that would send them all into the darkness. "For the sake of this Duel...! For the sake of the future! I must take this power!"_

 _"Not like this!" Wisteria replied, holding frim. "If you go like this, then you won't be the one taking power; it'll be the one taking you!"_

 _"It's no use," the dark Carly said from beside them. "Your words won't reach him. He's already been taken by the shadows...by me."_

 _"I refuse to believe that!" Wisteria shouted. "When it comes to willpower, the Konami I know won't lose to anyone! No matter how long it takes, no matter how many times he gets beaten down for it, he'll always find a way to rise back up!"_

 _"You might have been right about that before," the dark Carly said, "but this is one destiny he can not avoid! Now, Konami! Cast her aside, and take your rightful place as a true Signer of the Shadows!"_

 _Konami grunted, his eyes flashing with the power of Rasca as he swung his arm out, tossing Wisteria away._

 _The girl gasped as she hit the ground, and she glanced up just in time to see Konami approach the floating Mark once more._

 _"Now, the power of Wiraqocha Rasca shall flow through this land yet again..." Carly giggled eagerly. "Do it, Konami! Claim your prize, and become my partner once more!"_

 _"No! You mustn't give in to that power!" Wisteria cried, lunging to her feet to hold him back. "Please, Konami! You have to remember what's important! This isn't just a battle between you can Carly, it's a battle with the world at stake! You can't afford to lose! Not to Carly, not to this boiling Mark on your arm, and most certainly not to yourself!"_

 _"The Earthbound Immortal...it's calling me!" he said, reaching out for the Mark. "I...I can't keep it waiting...!"_

 _"He's...he's completely ignoring me!" Wisteria realized, even as she struggled to keep him in place._

 _Carly cackled at the sight. "I told you before, it's useless! He's become one with the Will of the Shadows now. Now matter how close you might have been, your words will have no effect!"_

 _"Then..." Wisteria breathed, "Then I'll just have to use more than my words, won't I?!"_

 _"Hm?" Carly asked._

 _But Wisteria didn't bother explaining. Instead, she threw her arms forward, clasped her hands around Konami's cheeks, and brought his face down toward hers._

 _'Konami-kun,' she thought as she moved, 'please! Let my feelings reach you!'_

 _Their lips met._

 _"What's this?" Carly cackled, amused by the scene. "One last kiss goodbye to your little boyfriend? Well, I hope you enjoy it, because once he's awoken, he'll-" she paused, eyes widening as she noticed the miasma start to disappear. "What?!"_

 _Inch by inch, the black fog created by Konami's Mark began to fade, shattering the void realm and obliterating the dark illusion-Carly held within its midst. The black, shapeless sky returned to dark clouds of grey, and the empty surroundings filled in, restored to the burning streets of New Domino City._

 _Slowly, Wisteria parted her lips, and took a small, insecure step back. "Konami-kun..."_

 _"Wisteria..." the boy replied after a moment, "You...what was that?"_

 _"Something I've dreamed about doing for a long time," Wisteria admitted. "Are...are you okay now? Are you still, you?"_

 _Konami tested himself, stretching and flexing his limbs and muscles before glancing down at his open palms._

 _"Yeah," he said. "You saved me. Thanks."_

 _"Konami-kun-!" Wisteria whispered happily._

 _'impossible!' Carly thought, eyes wide with rage as she stared at the couple. 'The Shadows should have already devoured him! That magic kiss of hers should have had no effect! Was it because of their relationship? A Dark Signer's power comes from negative emotions...knowing that, did she purposefully act in a way that would bring about the most positive response? No. She couldn't have known he'd react in such a way. If he had tossed her aside, or rejected her just now...'_

 _She shook her head, then stared at Konami, examining his form. Despite failing with its miasma, the Mark of the Shadows on his arm still burned brighter than ever._

 _'Good,' Carly thought with a determined grin. 'It means the power of Wiraqocha Rasca is still ready to be unleashed. Due to that brat's interference, Konami may no longer be willing to break the seal, but thanks to my Fortune-telling Deck, I don't need him to!'_

 _"Hate to interrupt your little make-out session," she told the two, "but Konami and I are in the middle of a Duel here, and last time I checked, it was still my turn. I activate the Spell Card, Fortune's Future!"_

 _A hologram of the Spell shimmered onto Carly's Field, revealing the artwork that Konami had seen once before during their Turbo Duel._

 _"That card again?" he asked her._

 _"If you recall," Carly told him, "this card works by letting me send one of my banished Fortune Ladies to the Graveyard."_

 _The image of the banished Fortune Lady Wind appeared behind Carly, floating above her in a ghostly image before fading into the Duel Disk's Graveyard Slot._

 _"Then you're allowed to draw two cards," Konami finished, remembering the effect from earlier. "That desperate to beat me, are you?"_

 _"Making jokes again I see," Carly mused while studying her newly drawn cards. "Well, you won't be after this. I'm activating another Spell - Earthbound Geoglyph!"_

 _"What?!" Konami shouted, recognizing the card as one of his own. "But that card's a Field Spell!"_

 _"That's right, which means it'll be replacing the Future Visions I currently have on the field," Carly explained, lifting the declared card off of her Duel Disk and sliding it into her Graveyard._

 _"Hey, what gives?!" Enzo shouted from the sidelines, eyes wide as he watched the color effect of Carly's Future Visions fade away. "Won't getting rid of your Field Spell destroy your Earthbound Immortal too? From what I remember, they can't exist without a Field Spell, right? You just destroyed your own monster!"_

 _"Actually, I didn't," Carly told him, smirking at Konami as she spoke. "And if you can believe it, it's really all thanks to your friend here!"_

 _"Breakthrough Skill," Konami recalled, realizing he'd used the Trap earlier that same Turn. "Since it negates an Effect monster's abilities until the End Phase, that means that the power that would destroy Aslla Piscu without a Field Spell won't activate!"_

 _"Bingo," Carly said. "Which means that, despite my swapping of the Field Spell, my Aslla Piscu is here to stay!"_

 _The black hummingbird screeched triumphantly as the flames of Carly's geoglyph grew even brighter to register the new Field Spell. Lightning flashed around the dark avian, illuminating it in the twisted sky as the purple flames grew higher and higher in the night._

 _"So you swapped the Field Spell, big deal." Konami told her, "It doesn't change the fact that you missed out on beating me this Turn!"_

 _"This new Field Spell might not change how my Battle Phase went," Carly admitted, "but it does change what happens when I Normal Summon a monster!"_

 _"That's right!" Wisteria realized, "Now that Future Visions is gone, she doesn't have to worry about a monster banishing itself until the next Turn!"_

 _"Which means that any monster she summons will be immediately placed on her Field, ready and willing to back her up if things go sideways...!" Konami growled. "So, what is it you're going to summon? Fortune Fairy Draw-Too-Much?"_

 _"Cute, but no." Carly said with a shake of her head, "Actually, I thought I'd act like a good little partner and play one of_ your _cards, Konami!"_

 _"Huh? One of...my cards?!"_

 _"Yes," she said, "and I'll be adding it to my hand with this - the Spell Card, Earthbound Rescue!"_

 _She revealed the card with a grin, then slid it into her Spell slot and watched its hologram appear beside her._

 _"When there's a Field Spell present on my side of the Field, this card lets me add a Spell from my Graveyard to my hand...but that's not the good part," Carly explained. "Once I've done that, I can then add one "Earthbound" monster from the Graveyard to my hand!"_

 _"Earthbound monster?" Wisteria asked, "But there aren't any, are there?!"_

 _"Maybe not at first glance," Carly admitted, adding the Spell - Fortune's Future back to her hand as she spoke. "But it is there, slumbering away in your Graveyard...where it has been since the third Turn of our Duel!"_

 _"The...third Turn?" Konami asked, eyes wide as he thought back through everything that transpired during their fight._

 _Memories of a screaming dragon filled his mind, and his eyes widened in realization._

 _"No!" he gasped, glancing at his Duel Disk in shock. "It can't be!"_

 _"But it is!" Carly laughed, pointing at him mockingly. "The Earthbound monster I choose to add to my hand...is none other than your Rasca Dawn Dragon! Ahahahahahahaha!"_

 _A black light burst from Konami's Duel Disk as she made her declaration, and the shining Xyz card shot through the air and into Carly's outstretched hand._

 _"No way! Not his ace monster!" Enzo shouted from the van._

 _"But...it's an Xyz monster!" Wisteria said, wide-eyed. "If she adds it to her hand, she won't be able to summon it!"_

 _"That's where you're wrong, girlie!" Carly spat. "Because the card I added wasn't necessarily the abominable Rasca Dawn Dragon, but rather, what lies inside it!"_

 _"Inside it?" Wisteria asked._

 _"Finally," Carly whispered, her fingers sparking upon the black card, "the time has come for the seal to be broken!"_

 _"Stop this, Carly!" Konami shouted, knowing what she was aiming for. "You don't realize what you're doing!"_

 _"Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing," she shouted back. "And if you don't want the power of your Immortal...then I'll take it, and give it to someone who will! Now, here me slumbering Immortal, set yourself free from this wretched cage! The time has come for you to walk amongst the world of man once more!"_

 _She held the card high into the sky, her mark burning with the power of not only her own Aslla Piscu, but that of Wiraqocha Rasca as well. Slowly, the light of the Condor Mark faded from Konami's arm, and he watched in shock as it reappeared on Carly's, overlaying on top of her Hummingbird._

 _"My Mark...she's taken it!"_

 _"And now, I'm taking your dragon too!" Carly laughed._

 _Lightning flashed and thunder roared as her eyes glowed with the power of two Immortals. As she tightened her grip on Rasca Dawn Dragon, the card itself began to tremble and shake, cracking to reveal the glowing purple light of the monster beneath._

 _"Stop this, Carly! That monster is needed to save the future!" Konami pleaded._

 _"Not anymore," Carly shouted, "because now, Konami...YOU HAVE NO FUTURE!"_

 _She clenched her fist tight, and the card shattered into a thousand glassy shards._

 _Enzo, Wisteria, and Konami watched in shock as Carly then swung her new card around, dusting it off before revealing its truest yet newest form._

 _The Level Ten Effect monster...Wiraqocha Rasca!_

 _"No..." Konami breathed, falling to his knees in shock. "Rasca Dawn Dragon...it's gone!"_

 _"Don't worry, you'll be seeing it again soon enough!" Carly told him with a laugh, "Because once I've beaten you, I won't be reviving you as my partner any longer! I'll send you packing into the shadows...as the first defeated victim of Wiraqocha Rasca! Ahaha, Ahaha, Ahahahahahahahahaha!"_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Eleven**_

* * *

 _ **Left in Ruins! The SOT Disbands!**_

* * *

"I...I don't believe it," Wisteria whispered, "She's destroyed Rasca Dawn Dragon! That card was irreplaceable!"

"This...This is all my fault...!" Konami breathed, "Jack was right, I was meddling with things I didn't understand, and now...! Now, I've lost the only weapon I had against E'Rah!"

"I wouldn't get too beat up about the card," Carly warned him, "because you're about to lose a lot more!"

"What?!"

"In case you didn't notice, I also got to bring back a Spell from my Graveyard thanks to Earthbound Rescue's effect," she explained. "And I'll be using that Spell now, so welcome back _Fortune's Future!_ "

"That again?! Just how many cards are you planning to draw?!" Enzo asked.

"As many as it takes to put Konami and his little girlfriend in the dirt!" Carly growled.

"In the dirt?" Konami asked, "What happened to ruling the world together?"

"It's true I wanted to have you join forces with me at first," Carly admitted, "but this Duel, and your resistance to the shadows reminded me of something important."

"Oh yeah?" Konami growled, finally climbing back to his feet. "And what's that?"

Carly's expression twisted into one of rage. "That you were never _chosen_ to be a Dark Signer! You stole the power of Wiraqocha Rasca, and sealed it into the abomination you called Rasca Dawn Dragon to serve as your mindless tool! Well, now the power of Wiraqocha Rasca has been freed, and through its Mark, I have seen the truth! The visions we shared weren't of you...they were of Wiraqocha Rasca's true champion...the one who stands above all in this world, Jack Atlas!"

"Oh, here we go..." Konami drawled. "Sorry to disappoint you, but if you think you'll be able to turn Jack into a Dark Signer, then you're dead wrong! You've got even less of a chance against him than you do against me!"

"No, you're the one who's dead wrong!" Carly retorted, "And soon, you'll just be dead! I now bury the Fortune Lady Water from my Banished Zone and draw two new cards!"

The ghostly visage of the blue witch appeared behind Carly as she did so, and she glanced at the pair before smirking at Konami.

"What do you say, Konami?" she asked him. "Shall I tell you what your future holds?"

"How about you spare me the details and end your turn so I can end you!?"

Carly's lips parted into a twisted smile, "If that's what you want, then I'll gladly oblige you! I'll set my two new cards...and then activate the effect of my Earthbound Geoglyph!"

The earth trembled as the purple flames of Carly's geoglyphs began to shine, invoking their dark power to aid the girl in her Duel.

"H-Hey!" Enzo complained, the van nearly tipping over and onto its side as a result of the sudden earthquake.

Wisteria, too, was forced to take hold of Konami to remain stable, not that the boy himself was doing much better.

"Damn...!" he hissed. "Everything's really...fallin' apart around here!"

"The effect of Earthbound Geoglyph activates!" Carly shouted, ignoring them all. "When I control a Synchro monster, I can use that monster as two tributes for the summon of an "Earthbound Immortal" monster! Beelze may be a Dark Synchro monster, but it still fits the requirements!"

"What was that?!" Konami shouted, "But Carly, you can't! You can't have two Earthbound Immortals on the field at the same time! They're too big!"

"Ordinarily, you'd be right." Carly agreed, "However, in case you haven't noticed, there are two dark geoglyphs engulfing the city right now! That means twice the power, twice the room, and twice the souls to be sacrificed!"

"What?!" Konami gasped, eyes wide as he realized what she was saying. "No, Carly! Stop this while you still can! Don't do this, I beg of you!"

"I hope that kiss of yours was worth it, Konami," Carly cackled, holding Wiraqocha Rasca to the sky, "because it's the last one Wisteria will be giving you for a while! I now tribute my Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons, along with the souls of the New Domino's trapped citizens, to Tribute Summon...Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!"

She brought the card down hard upon Beelze's monster slot, then grinned as a large beating heart emerged from her twin-headed dragon and shot high into the sky.

"Ah...!" Konami gasped, glancing at the devil's device in horror.

Slowly, the great throb of the mechanical heart began to echo through the city, grasping and pulling at the world like a vacuum. Flame by flame, the Mark of the Condor surrounding the city lit up with power, transforming the space within completely purple and registering every soul within as a suitable target.

Men.

Women.

Children.

It mattered not who was sacrificed, so long as the gathered energy was enough to break the seal of the Netherworld.

The heart began to pick up pace, beating faster and faster as it began to absorb the souls of the city. The fleeing civilians cried out in terror as their bodies began to vanish into streams of white and purple light, all of which was sucked toward the heart's veins. Together, they would give rise to the newest Immortal, and ensure its dark power would not go to waste!

"K-Konami!" Enzo screamed as he too began to vanish, body disappearing into a wisp of smoke that left the van completely empty.

"Enzo!" Konami gasped, taking several steps towards the boy only to stop when he realized he was too late.

" _Ahahahaha,_ " Carly laughed as she watched the boy vanish. "One down, one to go."

"Why you-!" Konami started.

"Konami-kun," Wisteria whispered behind him. "I don't..."

"No, Wisteria!" Konami shouted, spinning around to face the girl.

She was already half-gone, and fading quick. He reached his arms out to try and embrace her, to let her know that everything was going to be alright, but-

"Konami-kun!"

As he swung his arms inward to catch her, she vanished.

A terrible screech filled the air as her soul reached Wiraqocha's heart, providing the last bit of fuel needed to power the archdemon. Pillars of light and fire burst forth from the city depths, paving a trail of chaos through the geoglyphs as the heart finally exploded. A single column of darkness crashed down upon the earth, spreading a mountain of debris and shattering the building beneath it as a large, black form rose from the ground.

 _"When the light is lost in the darkness, the whispering of the Devil will be heard! Bring forth the Ultimate Destruction! Advance Summon!"_ Carly hissed, eyes glowing as her chant neared its end. _"Awaken, Wiraqocha Rasca!"_

The kaiju-sized condor loosed a triumphant scream as its name was called. Its geoglyph burned the streets away as it rose from the depths, spreading its enormous black wings in preparation to fly alongside the hummingbird of the night. Konami stared at the behemoth in shock as it did, taking in its appearance for the first - and quite possibly, the last - time.

The first thing he noticed was that it was big.

No, not just big; _enormous_.

Even Aslla Piscu paled in comparison, and that was truly saying something. The hummingbird alone was already the size of a building, and given how Wiraqocha Rasca towered above even it, the great condor must have easily been over two thousand feet tall! The street bent and buckled under its weight, unable to handle the burden such a heavy creature created. Fortunately, it seemed that it had not taken long for Wiraqocha to grow bored of the ground-bound lifestyle. It adjusted its footing readily, spreading its crooked feet upon the same road before spreading its wings outward to take to the sky. As it did, the various glowing lines of Incan origin lit up across its chest and wings, announcing the return of the behemoth's true power.

It was then, once its terrible and wicked glow had emerged, that Wiraqocha Rasca took to the skies. With a single gust of wind, it beat its pronged wings downward, propelling itself high above the city and into the dark clouds storming above. There, it circled the geoglyphs warily together with the hummingbird, waiting - and watching - for the perfect chance to strike.

 _Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (100/100)_

"N-No..." Konami whispered, eyes locked on the circling birds as he fell to his knees in despair. "Wisteria...and Enzo too...! I've failed you...I've failed you all!"

"And soon, the time will come for you to join them again!" Carly laughed across from him, taking pleasure in his pain. "But first, Wiraqocha Rasca's effect activates! When it's Normal Summoned to the field, I can target up to three cards I control; shuffle them back into my Deck...and then discard cards from your hand equal to the number of cards I've returned! Since you have two cards remaining in that hand of yours...I'll return the two cards I just set on my field, allowing Wiraqocha's power to send you spiraling even farther into despair!"

Her laugh echoed across the field as the holograms of her two set cards suddenly burned to ash. Wiraqocha Rasca's roar soon followed their destruction, sending a rippling force of power down toward Konami and blowing him onto his back.

"U-Uwaaaaaaaaaagh!" he cried as the power took hold of him, flinging him through the air and obliterating the cards in his hand.

In a single instant, the same power that had burned away Carly's cards also took hold of his, shattering the Hanewata and Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon he'd been hiding away in his palms. Konami's hands clenched around them in shock as they finally vanished, and his eyes widened in fear...only to realize they'd been teleported into his Graveyard slot.

"I've got no cards left in my hand...!"

"And that's not even the best part!" Carly screamed at him. "Because once your cards have been discarded...Wiraqocha then gains a thousand Attack Points for each one you lost!"

"A-A thousand?!" Konami asked in shock, glancing once more toward the roaring Earthbound that hovered above the city.

A wicked aura had begun to seep from the titan's body, imbuing it with the strength of Konami's fallen cards. Its size grew even bigger and darker, easily becoming the most imposing monster on the field, despite not necessarily having the most Attack Points.

 _Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (2100/2100)_

"Twenty one hundred Attack Points..." Konami whispered, "You mean to say that all the destruction we've caused...all the souls that were sacrificed...were to summon _that_? It's...It's not even stronger than your Aslla Piscu! This is what you destroyed Rasca Dawn Dragon for? This is what drove you to sacrifice all those lives?!"

"It's true that Wiraqocha Rasca may not be as strong as it could be," Carly admitted, "but you cannot deny the toll its presence has taken on your heart. The souls of your beloved friends reside within this creature now...along with those of many others who reside within this city. I wonder...do you really have the strength of will and mental fortitude it will take for you to tear them asunder in order to claim victory? No. I think you'll fail, and when you do, Wiraqocha Rasca will be freed from you completely, and I'll use its power to bring Jack back to my side!"

"Tsk...! What are you saying?" Konami asked her. "That...the destruction of that monster will also destroy those within? Don't try to fool me with such lies! You and I both know that the only way to restore Wisteria and the others now...is for me to beat you in this battle!"

"Is that what you think? Then do it, if you can!" Carly taunted. "But know this, should you fail, not only will the souls of your friends be lost to darkness forever...but so too will you! Now, make your move, Konami! For it shall be your last!"

 _'Tsk...! She's got me on the ropes!'_ Konami thought. _'Even if that monster by itself may not seem all that impressive, it's still an Earthbound Immortal, which means that just like Aslla Piscu, it can attack me directly! I only have three hundred Life Points left, and even though I still have a face-down on the field, it won't help me avoid any further damage! If I'm going to turn this around, if I'm going to save Carly from this darkness she's fallen so far into, then it'll have to be with whatever card I draw next turn! However...'_

The weight of everything that had happened so far fell down upon him. The destruction of the city, the loss of Rasca Dawn Dragon, and yes...even the return of Carly's own dark self. They were all burdens he now had to shoulder; weights and chains that bound him in place, holding him back in fear.

 _'What will happen to the world, if I lose in this place...?'_

All those people, all those souls...! They would be lost to the world forever, trapped within the dark black bellies of Wiraqocha Rasca and Aslla Piscu. And what of Carly? Would she do as she claimed, and confront Jack? Would she descend further into the realm of madness...with the former King of New Domino by her side?

Such thoughts swirled within Konami's mind, distracting and immobilizing him under the weight of his own sins.

He had done this.

He had driven the city into this chaos.

And now...he didn't know if he had what it took to make things right.

 _'I'm a failure...'_ he thought as he sat there, unable to draw. _'I couldn't awaken Carly properly...I couldn't defend Rasca Dawn Dragon... I couldn't even protect my own friends. How am I supposed to save this world, when I can't even save myself?'_

"Have you lost the will to fight?" Carly asked him, "Or have you finally realized...that there's no escaping this?"

His heart was unsteady. His mind, weak. All it would take is a little push to send him over the edge, and from there, there would be no coming back.

Konami would fall, and Wiraqocha Rasca would rise.

Such was the fate Carly had ordained from the cards. Such was the fate, she was determined to see play out.

And yet, even as she stood there, watching as he beat and tormented himself to death, Carly could not help but feel wary. She, more than most, knew the danger of a cornered Konami. She had seen him overcome odds such as these time and time again...

 _'But this is one fate he cannot escape!'_ she reminded herself, even as her eyes narrowed in distrust. "Well? Are you going to take your turn or not? If you won't move, I will!"

"I..." Konami whispered, " _I...!_ "

He grit his teeth, struggling to get ahold of himself, until finally-!

 _ba-bump_

The sound of a heart echoed out from within his Deck. Feeling his eyes widen, Konami glanced to cards, watching as they once again pulsed with a power unforeseen.

 _Ba-Bump_

"The cards..." Konami breathed, "...they haven't yet given up on me."

He curled his empty hands back into fists, punching them onto the asphalt before making to climb back to his feet.

"That's right..." he thought to himself. "What have I been doing? Worrying about what-ifs and could-have-beens... The only thing that matters, is what I do right here, and right now!"

The flames of his Duelist Soul reignited, bringing him back from the brink as he rose to his full height and pointed at Carly angrily.

"Yes, I'm declaring it here and now!" he told her. "No matter bad the odds may seem, I'm not giving up! Not to you, not to myself, and certainly not to Wiraqocha Rasca! I'll defeat all obstacles in my path, and set right what's gone wrong!"

"Fool!" Carly cackled, "You really think you can overcome not one, but _two_ Earthbound Immortals!"

"I'll take on anything you throw at me," Konami roared, "because I won't give up! Too many people are relying on me, and I won't let them down! No, I'll save everyone whose souls have been taken, and...I'll save you too, Carly! But to do that, first I must defeat you! So here I go! For the sake of the future, and all those who are depending on me, I..." he reached into his Deck with burning eyes. " _DRAW!_ "

 **TURN THIRTEEN - KONAMI - ONE CARD IN HAND**

A golden card of shining light ripped from his Deck, shearing a white line of hope through the air as Konami swung it into his hand. This one card, this one moment, would determine his fate!

He took a deep breath, steadied his heart, then revealed the card to himself.

His eyes widened.

"What's the matter?" Carly asked with a smirk. "Draw a dud?"

"On the contrary..." Konami told her, a confident smile slowly coming to his lips, "...I drew just what I needed!"

"What?" Carly grimaced.

Konami smirked at her, "To beat a giant, you need a giant. And in my time since coming to this city, I've realized there's one giant in my Deck I can _always_ depend on!"

A golden circle began to form around his feet as he spoke, and he lifted his drawn card high into the sky.

"I play... _Exodius, the Ultimate Forbidden Lord!_ "

He brought the card down upon his Duel Disk, prompting an explosive light of fury to burst out from within. The golden circle beneath him expanded and grew, releasing a wave of debris behind him as a bronze deity of the ancient times rose to aid Konami in battle.

Wrapped in an dark armor of Egyptian design, the great behemoth grinned as he took to the field, standing as the definite display of muscles and power. Despite this...

 _Exodius, the Ultimate Forbidden Lord - LV10 - DARK - Spellcaster - (0/0)_

"He won't save you!" Carly shouted. "Exodius' effect only activates when he declares an Attack, and thanks to his Special Summoning condition, all the monsters in your Graveyard have been shuffled back into your Deck! Even if you attack me this Turn, he won't have the power to overcome either of my Immortals!"

It was true.

Exodius' effect was one that sent a monster from the Deck to the Graveyard for each attack it made, and increased its Attack by a thousand for each Normal monster that was buried. Since its own summoning condition forced Konami to shuffle all the monsters in his Graveyard back into their respective Decks however, that meant that even if Exodius attacked, his ATK would only reach one thousand.

That wasn't enough to overcome Wiraqocha Rasca...much less Aslla Piscu.

However...

"I never said I was using him to attack, did I?" Konami asked, prompting Carly's eyes to widen in surprise. "I just needed a Level Ten monster on the field. One whose Level could match the Earthbound Immortal's own!"

"What did you say?!" Carly asked, suddenly wary of the boy. "But why?!"

"So I could do this!" Konami growled. "I activate my face-down card, _Destiny Overlay!_ "

The green card lifted upward to reveal itself, showing off the artwork of two conflicting monsters coming together.

"Destiny...Overlay...?" Carly inquired.

"You weren't wrong, earlier." Konami told her, "Our destiny is to stand side by side, but not as emissaries of evil! No...even now, I still believe in the path I've chosen, and now, I'll follow my gut to the end, and use this card to see that which lies beyond!"

"Beyond?" Carly asked. "Beyond what?!"

"Darkness!" Konami shouted, swinging his hand forward. "Destiny Overlay's effect activates! When it's activated, I'm allowed to target monsters on both sides of our fields, and if their Levels are equal, I can then perform an Xyz Summon using them as Materials!" Konami shouted. "Both Wiraqocha Rasca and Exodius, the Ultimate Forbidden Lord are Level Ten! That means I can use these two monsters to build the Overlay Network!"

"You what?!"

"I'm taking back my Immortal!" Konami roared. "And now, with Exodius' power guiding me, I'll create a new seal greater than that of the Rasca Dawn Dragon before! One that its darkness will _not_ be able to escape!"

Exodius grinned as its golden light shined brighter than ever, casting a hole through the dark clouds above and onto the screeching and rebellious Wiraqocha Rasca. Despite its cries, however, the power of Destiny Overlay would not be denied! Caught in its gravitational pull, the condor and the bronze goliath began to swirl together, stretching into twin beams of light that shattered the abyss called despair!

 _"When shadows are enveloped by even darker shadows, the door to the future shall open at last!"_ Konami chanted, his eyes glowing purple as the Condor Mark reappeared on his arm. _"Embrace yourself in darkest despair, and become the hope we depend on! Xyz Summon! Rank Ten! The Chaotic Warrior of Darkness...Infinity Dark Hope!"_

The swirling pillar of gold and black coalesced, wrapping together to form a singular being of chaos as shattered stars crashed down upon the field. Carly screamed out in surprise and rage as the falling stars erupted upon collision with the earth, dousing her field with dirt and debris. Konami stood tall despite his own side of the field erupting in a similar manner, and then, he glanced upward to gaze upon his new summoned monster.

It was truly a union of Exodius and Wiraqocha Rasca; a tall, muscular being wrapped in the power of the shadows. Unlike Exodius' more Egyptian nature, however, this new monster took after the Romans. A Centurion helmet sat firmly atop its head, covering its entire face, save for a pair of glowing red eyes. A similarly colored scarf sat wrapped around its neck, upon which sat a large crimson X. White bracers ran down across its chest and legs, acting as its only form of armor. The rest of its dark purple skin sat completely exposed, revealing its dark, rippling muscles and rock-hard abs to all those who gazed upon its form.

Still, the lack of armor did not mean it lacked defense. A large clawed shield sat comfortably upon the titan's left arm, and in that same hand was a long black sword that sparked with foul electricity. With this weapons, it was clear to see how the monster did battle, and how it became as strong as it appeared to be.

 _Infinity Dark Hope - RK10 - DARK - Warrior - (4000/4000)_

"I-Impossible!" Carly whispered, staggering back as she gazed upon the titan in shock. "Four thousand Attack Points?!"

"Yes, and they'll all be used to bring Aslla Piscu to heel!" Konami roared.

"Y-You can't!" Carly realized, a sliver of hope echoing in her words as she spoke. "Even with your monster's incredible attack strength, my Aslla Piscu has regained its effects! You can't choose it as an Attack Target, which means that despite somehow taking Wiraqocha Rasca back, you won't be able to hurt me at all!"

"Is that so?" Konami inquired. "Then tell me, Carly... Why do the cards now scream of your defeat?!"

Carly's eyes widened in shock.

"I'll tell you why," he said, slowly moving a hand toward his Graveyard. "It's because you've forgotten about my Breakthrough Skill's second effect! When it's in the Graveyard, I can banish it to target one face-up monster on the field and negate its effects until the End Phase! That means that not only is your Aslla Piscu a prime target, but your Life Points are as well!"

Aslla Piscu screamed in agony as Breakthrough Skill's effects once more took hold, dimming the hummingbird's bright orange glow and removing its ability to soar through the night. With a screech, the black avian fell upon one of New Domino's remaining buildings, using it as a perch as it fought to catch its breath. Its long, sharp wings hung limp by the building's side, keeping the beast barely afloat as Infinity Dark Hope's eyes began to flash.

Raising its sparking blade, the newly summoned behemoth prepared to strike the final blow, and end the twisted Duel once and for all!

"Now, _Carly_ , it's time for you to return to your senses! Infinity Dark Hope, attack Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu! Release the captured souls we've taken, and set our partner's true heart free!"

Channeling the power of the Wiraqocha Rasca raised its black blade and charged, barreling through the streets toward the building upon which Aslla Piscu rested. With a mighty yell, the dark centurion leapt forth, raising the sparking sword high above in its in preparation for the final blow.

"No," Carly whispered, glancing behind her with wide eye as she watched Dark Hope approach. "You can't!"

"I already have," Konami told her, and he swung his hand forward for the last time. "Now, Infinity Dark! _Hope Despair Slash_!"

With flashing eyes, the mad titan cut his blade down Aslla Piscu vertically, sending a jagged line of white light shearing down the Immortal's center. The avian screamed in pain as the blade swung free of it, and it reared back on its hind legs, attempting to respond. Unfortunately for the dark beast, it didn't get the chance. A second slash across its neck created another white line, and Aslla Piscu stilled, releasing one final screech of despair before it finally fell.

Screaming spirits and wailing souls rushed free of the falling bird through the cracks the two cuts created, soaring out into New Domino once more as the bird descended further and further toward the street. Just as the last captured soul vanished into the night, Aslla hit the ground, smashing into the road with the weight of a falling plane and releasing a wave of wind, dirt, and debris.

Carly gazed at the scene in shock. How could this have happened? Just a turn ago, she stood on the edge of victory, ready to defeat Konami and move on to her true purpose - retrieving Jack! But now, when she was so close she could actually _taste_ it, Konami had snatched it away from her, besting her in a Duel yet again!

"This...This can't be happening?! This wasn't the fate I _foresaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!"_ She screamed, the wave overtaking her and nearly sending her flying backward in the wake of its explosive fury.

 **CARLY - 0 LP  
KONAMI - 300 LP**

Screaming as her Life Points hit zero, what little resistance Carly had finally left her, and she let the wave take her off her feet.

Its wind and burning smoke flung her through the air, blasting her backward, away from where Dark Hope had slain her Immortal. Unable to stop herself, unable to halt her own tragic destiny, she closed her eyes and awaited the worst. But as she braced herself for impact with the hard concrete that would send her back to death's door, she thought she heard someone call her name.

And then, someone caught her.

Someone she never thought would do it; especially given everything that had just occurred.

Indeed, for as she opened her eyes after realizing her dark demise would never come, she found herself staring into the bright, blazing orbs of Konami...as he gazed toward the dark monsters still towering amongst the shadows.

"You...You caught me..." she whispered in disbelief, "Why?"

"Because...this Duel's not over yet." Konami told her, eyes never leaving Dark Hope and the slain Aslla Piscu. "The destruction of your Immortal may have freed the souls you've taken, but those stolen by Wiraqocha Rasca remain trapped within my Infinity Dark Hope! And that's why...before these monsters disappear, taking those souls with them..." he grunted, "I'm activating the effect of Aslla Piscu!"

"What?!" Carly gasped, her black orbs widening in shock. "But, you've already won the Duel! You can declare victory and end it! If you go through with this effect, then-"

"-yes, our Duel will end a Draw." Konami confirmed, "The destruction we've caused to the city will remain, but the souls and lives of those we've hurt will be spared. And in the end, isn't that what's truly important?"

"Konami!" Carly gasped. "You-!"

"Now, Aslla Piscu! With my victory over your Dark Signer, I - Konami Kodo - command you!" Konami commanded, lifting his glowing and once-again marked arm away toward the fading creature. "Unleash your effect to destroy Dark Hope, and finish off the rest of my Life Points! _Death Singularity!_ "

Driven by its baser instincts, and its urge to obey the master of the new strongest Immortal, Aslla Piscu screeched once more. The last hum of its energy flared to life, engulfing its body in a shimmering orange glow that exploded, rupturing the street on which it laid and the Dark Hope impaling it. Konami watched the sight with wide, black eyes, burning the image into his memory even as his Life Points fell to match Carly's own.

 **KONAMI - 0 LP  
CARLY - 0 LP**

With a proud but pained roar, Infinity Dark Hope burnt away in the blast, its destruction releasing the innocent souls transferred over from Wiraqocha Rasca. Like shimmering stars, they shot through New Domino's clearing sky, signaling the end of the long and hard-fought battle of the two Dark Signers.

"You...You fool..." Carly coughed, swinging her hand to free herself from him and collapsing to the ground. "You could've had it all. The power...the passion...! But you threw it all away, and for what?! A bunch of ignorant layabouts who won't even thank you for what you've done?!"

"Do I deserve to be thanked?" Konami countered. "Look around you, Carly. Look at the destruction we've caused. We both know I am no hero in this. Everything that you've done today...all the people you've hurt, and damage you've caused... It's all because of me."

Carly laughed at him. "So what? You're going to take responsibility for little ol' me."

"Yes," Konami told her, shocking her silent. "It was because of me that you reawakened as a Dark Signer. I might not have pulled the trigger myself...but I did give you the gun. That alone makes me responsible, even more so, because I knew what could happen! I heard time and time again how dangerous my plan was, how crazy it was - to set loose that which we fought so hard to re-seal, but I didn't listen. I was so sure I was right, so sure that I had to do this, that I did what I once criticized someone else for wanting to do!" He clenched his fists, recalling his own anger when Z-One sent him into the past for the Light of Destruction. "I am no hero, and I'm certainly not to be thanked for amending my own mistake. I...I'm nothing more than a hypocrite who brought others into my own mess, and for that, Carly..." he whispered, setting a hand on the girl's trembling shoulder. "...I'm truly sorry."

Carly tried to glare at him as he spoke, but dawn was cracking; and with her defeat, the Dark Signer power sustaining her cold rage had started to fizzle out. Already, the two geoglyphs tearing through the city had faded, reducing the streets to nothing but hot ash. The souls of the taken victims had also returned to their mortal bodies, each and every one of them, safe and unharmed.

Only the destruction caused by their brutish battle remained; and yet, in the scope of things, even that wasn't absolutely catastrophic. Sure, the repairs to the buildings would take time, but between Sector Security and its many financial backers, it could and would be done. The city would rise again, the only question was...where would Konami and Carly fit in?

"I...I didn't want this...!" she admitted, the black of her eyes fading as her Mark lost the last of its eerie wicked glow. "I-It's just...Angela wrote that _stupid_ article that got me fired, and then-! Then I was just so _angry_ , I...!"

"I know," Konami told her, falling to one knee and embracing her. "It's not your fault. This Duel has reminded me just how tempting the power of the Immortals can be. So, don't blame yourself for this. No matter what happens, don't hold yourself responsible. Hate me if you must, curse my name and rue the day we met. I'll gladly shoulder that burden...as the one who brought you to this state."

"Konami..." Carly whimpered, tears pooling at her eyes. "Konami!"

She wrapped her arms around him, sobbing helplessly as the weight of what she'd done finally hit her. Gone were her chilling cackles, her foul fortunes vanishing beneath the weight of her guilt. Only Carly - the real Carly - remained, and it seemed she couldn't cope.

"I'm sorry," Konami apologized again, comforting the girl as he best he could. "I shouldn't have left you alone. I shouldn't have done a lot of things."

"Maybe," Carly sobbed, "but you did try to tell me. You told me of what I'd done, of what I was...! I was the one who didn't listen to you! If I had, If I had taken you more seriously from the start, then maybe I would've been more careful! Maybe I wouldn't have let my emotions control me like they did! I-I can't let you take all the blame for this! It's my fault just as much as yours! So, this burden...this dark power we share, we'll face it together! That's what partners do, right?!"

"Carly..." Konami whispered. He took in her face, the wet cheeks and running nose betrayed how truly beat up she was over the whole thing. Still, she had the strength to claim she'd stand by him, even after everything he'd done to her. He felt his shoulders sag, be it in relief or guilt, he didn't know.

Truly, Carly was much stronger than he'd given her credit for.

"...Thank you." He whispered after a moment, unable to come up with anything else. "I...I don't deserve your kindness...and certainly not your friendship."

Carly sniffled a little.

"Konami!" "'nami Bro!"

The two shouts of his friends broke Konami from his stupor, and he glanced toward their voices to see the pair approaching him quickly.

"Enzo..." he whispered in relief, "Wisteria... You're alright, thank goodness."

"It's all thanks to you!" Wisteria shouted, tackling him off of Carly and sending him crashing to the ground. "I knew you could do it! Even when you're embracing the power of darkness, you're still my beloved Kokkun, after all!"

"Wisteria..." Konami winced, the sudden crash nearly knocking the last of his life out of him. "Thanks, but...do you think you could get off? I'm a little wounded here."

More than a little, in fact. Though the adrenaline of the Duel had kept him going while it lasted, everyone had seen him endure that terrible crash. Even with his heightened endurance as a Dark Signer, - and more, a Vylon - he couldn't just walk such a thing off; at least, not immediately.

"I'm sorry," Carly apologized as Wisteria gasped, removing herself from his stomach. "It's my fault you got those injuries..."

"I was the one who destroyed Speed World and caused the crash," Konami reminded her, wincing as he sat himself upright. "Don't go blaming yourself for this too. Besides, it's nothing a little sleep won't fix."

"Too bad we can't say the same for our fair city," Enzo noted, glancing beyond the wreckage in which they stood to the smoking towers and streets. "It's gonna take forever to rebuild...and somehow, I don't think Sector Security's gonna take this one laying down!"

"You're right," another voice suddenly interrupted, "and neither am I!"

Just as he'd been rising up to his feet, Konami found himself suddenly slugged in his face. The blow sent him spiraling back to the ground, smashing his face against the concrete and making him see stars.

Carly and the others gasped at the hit, and quickly turned to face his assailant, only to find a panting Mathew standing there with an outstretched fist.

"Yeah," Konami chuckled wearily as he rubbed the wounded cheek. "I deserved that."

"You bastard!" Mathew growled, grabbing him by the scruff of his jacket and pulling him up, "You can't laugh your way out of this one! Look at all the destruction you've caused! What happened to having it handled, huh?! What happened to having things under control?!"

He slugged Konami across the face a second time, prompting everyone to cry out in shock.

"Hey pal, that's enough of that!" Enzo said, rushing into the fray to grab Mathew from behind, "There's been enough fighting for one day!"

Unfortunately, Mathew wasn't having any of it.

"Shaddap!" he yelled back, throwing Enzo aside with a harsh shove that knocked the sandy-haired teen onto the ground. "Don't try and tell me that you're all alright with this! Just look around you, New Domino's in ruins, and it's all his fault!"

"Mathew," Wisteria pleaded, "Konami already knows he made a mistake! There's no need to hurt him-!"

But he had already smashed him a third time, driving his knee deep into Konami's gut.

"Oof," Konami grunted, falling down to his knees, even as Mathew continued to hold him upright. "Ungh..."

"There...there's nothing you can say this time," Mathew growled at him. "I saw what happened during the Duel. I saw your Dark Signer power go berserk! You said you could control that power...use it to save our city, but what have you done, Konami?! You've brought it to the edge of ruin!"

"But everyone's safe!" Enzo pleaded, "He brought them when he won the Duel-!"

"That's no excuse!" Mathew roared. "Even if he saved them all this time, what about their houses? Their homes?! Their lives might have been spared, but they've been uprooted all the same! And what about next time, huh? There's no guarantee that this twisted power of his won't go berserk and hurt somebody again! And if that happens, who's to say he'll come back to his senses? Who's to say he won't leave everyone's souls banished in the bellies of those...those _things_?!"

"Mathew, please!" Wisteria shouted, only to find herself cut off.

"No, he's right." Konami said, shocking the girl to silence. "I made a mistake. I thought I had everything figured out...and as a result, I led us straight into catastrophe. I was wrong, Mathew. The Earthbound Immortals...are not to be underestimated."

"Yeah, no shit, dumbass!" Mathew roared, feeling no joy at all upon having the words vindicate him.

Deep in his heart, he had still been holding out hope that Konami had some explanation for the chaos; some way to undo the destruction he'd caused. Now, however... After hearing those words, and seeing that lost, beaten expression...

He couldn't hold back anymore.

"You nearly got us all killed!" he shouted, throwing another flurry of punches. With the third blow, the jacket tore free, sending Konami crashing to the dirt once more. "Leo, Alice, and I were defenseless! If it weren't for Luna's Signer Power...who knows what would have happened!?"

He crawled down on top of Konami, and grabbed him by his black undershirt before raising his fist again.

"You were supposed to defend us, but lately, it seems like all you've done is put us in harm's way more than ever before!"

With one last punch, he sent Konami skidding against the pavement, finally prompting the others to cry out and rush in.

"That's enough!" Wisteria shouted, quickly rushing to kneel by Konami's side. "Can't you see he's already been hurt enough?! Stop this already!"

"Oh, of course you'd take his side," Mathew panted, panting softly as he glared at the two. "You never could say no to him. How far will he have to go until you realize just how dangerous he is?!"

"So he had a bit of a setback," Wisteria admitted, eyes narrowed into slits. "It doesn't change the fact that he still came through for us in the end! Certainly, we need to take some time to better understand this power of his, but-"

"-but what?!" Mathew growled, "It'll be fine as long as he gets some flashy new card that helps him beat whatever new threat comes our way? Threats, I might add, that wouldn't be coming if it weren't for him in the first place?!"

"That's not fair, and you know it!"

"No, I don't know it!" Mathew shouted, "All I know is what I've seen with my two eyes, and what they're telling me is that he's a loose cannon, and he needs to be put in check before someone gets hurt; for _real_ this time!"

"It's not like he knew what would happen-"

"No," Konami said. "I knew. You and Enzo said it for yourselves. I challenged Carly smack dab in the middle of the city. I knew there were people around, I knew that they could be hurt...but I just didn't care. It's true that Carly might have been the one to take the kids captive, but she wasn't the one who initiated our Shadow Duel. That one's on me...and this power I lost myself in."

"Konami-kun..." Wisteria breathed.

"You see? He knows it, too." Matthew growled, "He knows he's a danger to everyone in the city like this, but he doesn't care! Someone needs to put him in his place, to make him see what's what before he goes and does something he can't take back! Before Alice, or anyone else can be-"

"-is that what this is about?" Enzo interrupted, "You're worried about Alice's safety? Dude, we've all got loved ones we want to protect! Besides, we both know that Konami wouldn't ever do anything to hurt her!"

"Except that he already has, by leaving _her_ alone with the means to start an apocalypse!" Mathew shouted, pointing at the frightened and flustered Carly. "He's proven today, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it's not up to him whether we stay safe or not! No, maybe he doesn't even care!"

"How can you say that?!" Wisteria asked. "You saw how hard he fought to save Alice and Luna! You saw how angry he had been!"

"But was it out of care for them," Mathew asked, "or concern that his own self-righteousness would be proven wrong? After all, he'd been told numerous times how dangerous the Dark Signers were, but he didn't listen! The result is what you see here, a city in ruins, people calling out for their loved ones! Things might have turned out alright this time, but...we can't expect for him to always win! There has to be a line, and for me...this is it!"

"What are you saying?" Enzo asked the boy.

"I'm saying that I've had enough," Mathew explained. "That I can't afford to keep Alice get put in danger like this! Which is why...here and now, I'm ending it!"

"Ending what?" Enzo inquired.

"My bond with you all; my role as your teammate in the SOT!" Mathew declared. "If this is the path you're going to go down, one plagued by destruction and guilt...then I won't just follow you!" he told Konami. "I can't afford to, and neither can Alice! She's got her whole life to look forward to...I won't let it be snuffed short by having her hang around dangerous people like you!"

"Yeah..." Konami agreed sadly, nursing his bruised cheek. "...I figured as much. And, if it's any consolation...I agree with you."

"What?!" Enzo gasped at him, shocked. "What are you saying?!"

"I'm saying he's right," Konami grunted, wiping off his bloodly lip as he made to stand. "Being around me is only making things more dangerous for you, and unlike Luna...you don't have the power of the Crimson Dragon protecting you. Today reminded me just how dangerous things could get, and if I'm honest with myself, I know I can't be expected to save you everytime my decisions put you in danger. I...I agree with Mathew. Maybe it's time that the SOT...came to an end."

"Konami," Carly began wearily, "if this is because of what I did, then-"

"-my encounter with you only made up a part of my decision," Konami told her. "To be honest, this is something I've been thinking about for a while now, ever since I awoke with this Mark on my arm. I know the battles will only grow more fierce from here on, and I can't let you all risk your lives alongside me! That's why, if you want to leave, do so. I won't try to make you stay."

"But we're your friends, dude!" Enzo shouted. "We aren't just gonna up and abandon you!"

"And look what happened to you because of it!" Konami shouted. "You and Wisteria were sacrificed to my Earthbound Immortal! If it wasn't for Exodius, if it wasn't for my ability to create the Overlay Network, then...!"

Then nothing.

He would have fallen, and their souls would have been lost...potentially forever.

He couldn't let that happen.

For their own sakes, for the future lives they could go on to lead...

He had to cut them loose.

"No," the voice of Wisteria whispered, her arms wrapping around his neck as she held him tight. "I'm not letting you go. Not now that I've finally managed to catch you. I... I love Konami-kun! So, even if that love puts me in danger, even if it leads me into the darkness with you...I won't leave your side. Because, I want to experience more and more things together with you. And I want you to be able to experience things freely with me! That's why...I won't let you push me away! I'll stay by your side, until the very end, suporting you - as you've supported me!"

"Wisteria..." Konami whispered softly, grateful for her words.

"Yeah, what she said!" Enzo shouted. "I don't know about all that lovey dovey stuff, but there's no way I can just stand by while my friends are facing danger without me! So what if I don't have any powers? I'll still find a way to make myself useful, just you wait and see!"

"Enzo..."

"I...well, you already know where I stand on this," Carly mumbled. "I told you I wouldn't let you shoulder this burden alone. Even if I'm still a little confused about a few things...I promised that I'd do my best to help you! Because...we're partners, right?!"

"Carly..."

"You're mad, the whole lot of you!" Mathew shouted, sweeping his hand to the side as he watched them all pledge their friendship once more. "You really think things will turn out alright, leaving everything in the hands of that maniac? He'll get us all killed!"

"You might be right," Wisteria told him. "Maybe Konami will lose himself, maybe he'll become the death of us all, but...I still believe that trying to do something is better than complaining and doing nothing at all! Besides, I believe in Konami-kun. I believe that he'll find a way to overcome this setback, and save New Domino like he has before! If that means I'm a mad woman, then so be it! I won't abandon him, and not you, or anyone else can do anything to change my mind!"

"Fine then!" Mathew spat at last, "Burn to death with him for all I care! Just don't come running to me when this all blows up in your face!"

He turned on his heel, preparing to leave.

"Mathew, wait!" Enzo called after him, but he didn't.

With one last scoff, he vanished into the ruined streets...and out of their lives.

"Mathew..." Enzo whispered, lowering his outstretched hand.

"Well, who needs him!?" Wisteria scoffed, frowning as she fretted over Konami's wounds. "Abandoning an injured person like that, and laying his hands upon them too...! I won't forgive him!"

"Don't hate him," Konami told her. "He's only doing what he thinks is best for Alice."

"I know that, but still-!" she hissed, tears brimming at her eyes. "I'd have thought our bond was stronger than that."

"There are some things even bonds can't overcome," Konami said. "It might not be pretty, but that's the reality of the world we live in. Deep down, everyone has their own best interests in mind. You can't blame them for taking steps to reach it. Mathew...I hope you and Alice stay safe."

"Konami..." Wisteria whispered softly.

His vision swam, and suddenly, he felt himself fall to one knee.

"Konami!" Wisteria shouted again, this time out of worry.

"Guess I've hit my limit..." he murmured. He collapsed onto all fours, unable to muster any further energy as darkness creeped in to the edge of his vision. "At least, everyone's..."

And his mind drifted off into the darkness, the last words he heard being Wisteria screaming his name.

* * *

 _ **Chapter Eleven - END**_

* * *

 _"Where am I?"_

 _Having overcome the Duel, Konami awakes to find himself within a Sector Security holding cell. Mikage and Trudge grill him for information about the battle, but - fearing a repeat of Carly - he refuses to go into details. Just as her patience draws thin, an old friend shows up and bails him out..._

 ** _Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Beyond Despair! The DSoD is born!_**

 _"On your feet, slacker! I don't have all day!"_

* * *

 ** _Read & Review!_**


	12. Beyond Despair! The DSoD is Born!

_"I've had enough!" Mathew shouted. "I can't allow it! For Alice to keep getting put in danger like this...! I won't stand it any longer! And that's why! That's why...! I'm ending it!"_

 _"Ending it?" Enzo asked, confused by the blonde's sharp words. "Ending what, exactly?"_

 _"My relationship with you all," Mathew explained. "My role as your comrade in the SOT! If this is the path you're planning to walk down, if you're seriously considering going down a road plagued by destruction and guilt, then I'm sorry, but I can't follow you! And neither can Alice! She's got her whole life to look forward to. I...I won't let it be snuffed short by letting her hang around dangerous people like you any longer!"_

 _"Tch...!" Konami grimaced, still feeling the pain of Mathew's blows. He rubbed his bruised cheek softly, nursing the new injuries as he stared at his old friend, "...so that's the decision you've made, huh?"_

 _"Yeah," Mathew nodded. "I'll always be grateful for you saving Alice, but...this is the end of the road."_

 _Konami smiled sadly._

 _"...Yeah. I figured as much," he told Mathew. "I know I really screwed up this time around, and...if it's any consolation, I want you to know that I agree with you."_

 _"What?!" Enzo gasped, "What are you saying?!"_

 _"That's he's right," Konami replied, wiping off his bloody lip as he made to stand. "Being around me is dangerous, and unlike Luna, you all can't rely on the Crimson Dragon to save you! Today was a reminder of just how dangerous things can get, and I won't always be there to save you whenever my decisions put you in danger. So yeah, Mathew's right! I'm too dangerous to hang around, and that means... That means...!"_

 _"That it's time the SOT came to an end." Wisteria realized._

 _Konami tensed, then nodded curtly._

 _"H-Hey, hang on a minute," Carly interrupted, taking a few weary steps toward Konami. "Don't be hasty here! If you're only saying all of this because of what happened when I lost control, then-"_

 _"-my battle with you did help play a part in my decision," Konami admitted, "but I've actually been thinking about this for a while now. It's something that's been gnawing away at me, devouring my thoughts ever since I first awoke with this Mark on my arm."_

 _He raised the appendage as he spoke, allowing the others to take in the Condor burnt into his flesh._

 _"The battles I keep dragging you into will only grow more fierce from here. I can't always be there to protect you, but I can't let you risk your lives alongside me. either! That's why, you should listen to Mathew. Get away from me, as far away as you can! It's...It's the only way you'll stay safe."_

 _A soft breeze blew between them, accompanying the tense silence that followed his words. He bowed his head, waiting for them to do as he asked: To hate him, despise him, loathe him for dragging them into this mess._

 _But the shouts he expected never came._

 _Nor did any additional punches._

 _Instead, it was a soft and tender hand that fell upon his shoulder, offering the support he so desperately wanted to deny._

 _"Konami-kun," Wisteria said. "Have you forgotten what's coming? E'Rah, as well as the Vylon forces she wields, they won't just stop at New Domino City. And if what you told us was true, they won't stop at two or three cities either. They'll eradicate_ all _of us. Every man, woman, and child they can get their hands on. Knowing that, understanding that all of humanity is at stake here, how can you possibly expect me to leave you just because you claim to be a little dangerous yourself? Do you truly think so little of me, of your comrades?"_

 _"Yeah, what she said!" Enzo agreed. "We're your friends, dude! Your best pals in the universe! We won't just up and abandon you just because things got a little dicey! So you made a mistake, got in a little over your head. It happens to everyone! Besides, look around you! The Downtown District might've been trashed, sure, but at least the people are alright!"_

 _"This time, but what about next time?!" Konami screamed. "You and Wisteria were sacrificed to Wiraqocha Rasca, for god's sake! There was nothing I could do to protect you from that! If it weren't for Exodius, if it weren't for my ability to summon Xyz monsters, then...!"_

 _Then what?_

 _He would have fallen, that's what._

 _Their souls would have been lost forever, and there would be nothing he could do about it..._

 _If he even wanted to._

 _So, no._

 _He couldn't let that happen._

 _For their own sake, for the good of the long and promising lives they could go on to lead..._

 _He had to cut them loose!_

 _"No buts," Wisteria whispered, embracing him in a tight but gentle hug. "I'm not letting you go that easily. Not now that I've finally managed to catch up to you!"_

 _"Why?" Konami asked. "Why won't you...?"_

 _"Because," she told him, "I...I love you, Konami!"_

 _He flinched._

 _"I love you so much, I can barely stand it!" she explained. "The way you can charge headfirst into doing what you think is right! How you can face even the darkest of obstacles and still find the strength to smile! Your arrogance, your greed! I love all of it, and because of that, I won't let you go! Even if it means I'll be put in danger, even if it walking with you down a path of darkness, I won't leave your side! Because, I want to experience more and more things together with you...and I want you to experience all kinds of different things with me! So, No, Konami-kun! I won't let you push me or anyone else away! I'll stay by your side until the very end, supporting you. Just as you've always supported me!"_

 _"Wisteria," he whispered, "...you really feel that way?"_

 _"We all do, dude!" Enzo jumped in. "I mean, I don't know about all that lovey dovey stuff, but there's no way I can just stand by while my best buddy is fighting for his life! So what if I don't have any powers?! I'll still find a way to make myself useful, just you wait and see!"_

 _"Enzo..."_

 _"T-That's right!" Carly chimed in, "I can't promise that I'll always be hot on the uptake, but I already told you that I wouldn't let you shoulder this dark burden alone! Besides, how could I ever hope to face Jack, or atone for everything I've done today, or even call myself a reporter if I ran away from a scoop like this?! I can't leave you alone, because we're partners, right?!"_

 _"Carly..."_

 _"You're all mad. Every last one of you!" Mathew shouted, sweeping his hand through the air at the sight of them all reaffirming their friendship. "You really think things will turn out alright, leaving everything in the hands of that maniac?! He'll get us all killed!"_

 _"Maybe you're right," Wisteria agreed. "Maybe Konami will lose himself to darkness. Maybe in trying to protect us, he'll be forced to become the ultimate enemy and destroy us all, but..." She glanced at the bruised and battered boy in her arms with a smile. "I still believe that supporting him, and helping him through those dark times, is better than complaining about what's right and just while doing nothing at all!"_

 _"Urk...!" Mathew winced, taking a step back as her words shot into his heart._

 _"I believe in Konami-kun!" she continued confidently. "I believe that he'll find a way to overcome this siutation, that he'll forge a path that will save this city, just like he did before! If that means I'm mad, or crazy, or whatever you want to call it, then so be it! I won't abandon him, and not you, or anyone else, can do anything to change my mind!"_

 _"...kh! If that's how it is, then fine!" Mathew spat, "Follow him to the depths of hell for all I care! Just...Just leave me and Alice out of it!"_

 _He turned on his heel, growling as he prepared to leave._

 _"Mathew, wait!" Enzo called, stretching an arm out after him._

 _But he didn't._

 _With one last scoff, their old friend vanished into the smoking streets of the city...and out of their lives completely._

 _"Mathew..." Enzo whispered, lowering his offered hand._

 _"Good riddance," Wisteria sneered. "We don't need a person like that anyway! Abandoning an injured person like that, and laying his hands upon them too...just who the hell does he think he is?!"_

 _"Don't..." Konami told her as she fretted over his wounds. "Don't hate him for that. He's... He's only doing what he thinks is best for Alice. Besides...I'm the one who told him to hold me accountable for all this."_

 _"That doesn't mean he had to do it so violently!" Wisteria hissed, the smallest sparkle of tears starting to pull at her eyes. "I know he's worried about Alice, and that all this was a lot to take in, but...I thought our bond was stronger than that! Haven't we been through enough for him to stick with us through this?! The Fortune Cup, the Earthbound Immortals, and...yes, even the Arcadia Movement! How could he-how could he just throw that all away?!"_

 _"There are some things...that even bonds can't overcome," Konami said. "It might not be what you want to hear right now, but that's the reality of the world we live in. Not matter how nice they might seem, deep down, everyone has their own best interests at heart. Be it Mathew, you, or...yes, even me, Wisteria. In the end, we're all out for ourselves, but...you can't blame people for that. Not when doing so only serves to secure their own safety. Mathew... Our parting might not have been on the best terms, but...I do hope you and Alice stay safe."_

 _"Konami-kun..." Wisteria whispered softly._

 _The exhaustion of everything finally caught up to him, and suddenly, he felt himself fall to one knee._

 _"Konami?!" Wisteria exclaimed, this time out of worry._

 _"Heh...guess I've...hit my limit," he mumbled. He collapsed not one second later, unable to muster even the slightest bit of energy as the darkness began to creep in. "At least, you and Enzo, are..."_

 _Before he could finish, his words failed him, and his mind went dark. The last thing he heard was Wisteria's worried scream...and the roaring sirens of Sector Security forces as they pulled onto the scene._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Twelve**_

* * *

 _ **Beyond Despair! The DSoD is Born!**_

* * *

"What a pain," Mikage 'Mina to her friends' Simington growled.

She currently stood inside Domino General, New Domino's private hospital built to embrace and heal the city's beloved citizens. Long ago, the installation was renowned for its cutthroat polices and holier-than-thou attitude toward the poor, but things had changed since then. The completion of the Daedalus Bridge meant New Domino had a brand new demographic to serve, and after learning that Sector Security would foot the bill for a majority of Satellite patients, the hospital realized that it could no longer afford to focus solely on the rich. To keep up with this brand and inspiring new world, it had to change.

So it did.

What was once an elitist establishment became an open, friendly environment where all patients were welcome, regardless their path in life. It didn't take much to persuade the staff. After all, more patients meant more business, and that meant more money, right?

Ordinarily, yes.

But today was proving to be anything but ordinary.

Surprise tremors and crumbling buildings brought mass injuries to the hospital's doorstep, and while it was a miracle no one had yet to be declared deceased amongst the chaos, no one could call themselves fond of the pandemonium that was currently taking place. Crying children with scraped knees, worried mothers and impatient adults, it was madness!

And Mina hated every second of it.

She hated the constant ring of the phones as the receptionists struggled to keep pace. She hated the grumbling frustrations of overbearing patients as they complained about the smallest of scrapes cut upon their arm.

More than anything else, however...

She hated that infuriating _smirk_ on Carly's face as she conversed with the great Jack Atlas across the hall!

The hag had been caught fleeing the scene with several others, carrying an unconscious Konami in tow. After she failed to answer any of Trudge's questions, least of all being the ridiculous - not to mention cult-like - outfit she was wearing, Carly was lucky that Mina hadn't called for her arrest right then and there! Instead, she'd clocked her - and her unconscious tagalong - into the hospital out of the kindness of her heart, only for the skank to immediately start hanging of Jack's every word the moment the man showed up!

How dare she?!

Had she no shame, speaking with Jack while wearing those _hideous_ garbs?! And even worse, _mocking_ Mina while she did it?! Sure, the two had never exactly gotten along, but...Mina wouldn't have exactly called them enemies, either!

So what had changed?

Whatever it was, Carly's lips were sealed on the matter.

 _"Speak to my partner on the matter, if you_ really _want to know."_ Carly had told her.

So she had.

At least, she had tried to.

Unfortunately, Konami was still completely out of it. His injuries were easily the worst Mina had seen amongst the current patients, and there was no telling when or if the man would even wake up!

So there she was, stuck in a room watching over a breathing corpse while barely five feet away Jack fussed and flirted with a _potential suspect._

"I'm going over there," she growled, feet shifting as she prepared to pull open their door and-

"It won't do any good," her partner, the toiling Tetsu Trudge said, intruding upon her path. "We already got all we could outta her. Going back over there now is just gonna waste our time."

"And _this_ isn't?" Mina glared, gesturing to the room and its many medical appliances. "There aren't any leads here. Just a half-dead body of an in-over-his-head amateur!"

"Feh, not so impressive now, is he?" Trudge asked, turning to stare at the slumbering Konami who laid on the bed before them. "That being said, he's more likely to talk to us about what went down than Carly is, especially considering that he's probably the only one who hasn't been told to keep quiet by his little cheerleader."

"Which means he's our best option," Mina muttered, glaring at the unconscious fool. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to wake up anytime soon and shed some light on all this, would you?"

Nothing.

No insults, no jokes...

Only the dull tones of the heart monitor, and the all-consuming chaos of the hall outside.

"Of course," Trudge grunted from her left. "There's always the chance that he'll decide not to say anything regardless."

"Then we'll force it out of him," Mina replied, casting her gaze over to Trudge with a scowl. "We can't afford to let this slide. Not this time. Someone was responsible for the destruction of the Downtown District, and we need to know who."

"What about the tagalongs?" Trudge suggested. "Either of them crack yet?"

"No," Mina murmured. "Fujiwara all but clammed up the moment she saw us. Given her upbringing, I wouldn't be surprised if she was the one who told everyone else to keep quiet without a lawyer on deck."

"I don't suppose we have any other eyewitnesses who were at the scene?" Trudge asked.

"No one seems to remember anything," Mina spat. "Claim they were doing something in an entirely different part of the city before blacking out and waking up there."

And wasn't that the kicker?

The mass amnesia, the chaotic levels of destruction, Mina would be lying if she said she'd never seen such things before, because she had. Half a year ago, during what Lazar call 'the Battle against the Dark Signers.' No one seemed to remember anything about that incident, she recalled, although Sector Security cameras had clearly taken footage of several battles occurring in the decimated streets of Satellite. The visuals were blurry - Sector Security cameras were meant to monitor New Domino not its smaller counterpart - but the god-like monsters wreaking havoc in the streets were clear to see...

And one of them had appeared again, in the city, this time!

That hummingbird, it was one of the monsters she'd seen in the footage, she was certain of it!

But what did it mean?

Was some new battle about to take place? Was the destruction the act of a reckless Psychic Duelist, or was something more sinister afoot? _The Battle against the Dark Signers_ , she'd overheard Lazar calling it.

Was such a battle about to begin anew...?

 _'When you're Marked by the Shadows, you're Marked for life...'_

Mina gasped as a sharp pain suddenly cut through her forearm. With a grimace, she clasped the appendage tight, then rubbed it softly to the soothe the pain and relax her nerves.

"You alright?" Trudge asked her.

"Fine. Just thinking," Mina said, mind drifting back to the matter at hand. "Don't you think it's a little strange? How no one in the area seems to recall anything? I mean, a giant bird tearing up the city? That's the kind of thing you'd think would be unforgettable, right?"

"What are you suggesting? You think the civilians know more than they're saying?"

"Maybe? I don't know, it's just - don't you think it's weird?"

"Course I do," Trudge said. "But unless someone decides to spill, it's not like we have much of a lead to go on, do we?"

"No," Mina agreed begrudgingly. "Just the usual troublemakers...and a reporter who's way out of line...and way out of fashion."

"Out of fashion is an understatement," Trudge barked, glancing across the hall where Carly sat, still wreathed in the dark regalia. "What did she say it was again? Cosplay? Why? She investigating an event or something?"

"In the middle of the night? When no events of the sort are even scheduled in the city? A likely story," Mina grimaced. "She's got something to do with this Trudge, I can _feel_ it. There's no way she isn't, not when she's traveling with the goddamned Red Hat of all people, and not when he's the most wounded patient here!"

 _"Urnngh..."_ Konami suddenly grunted, shifting in his bed as he began to move.

"Speak of the devil," Trudge murmured. "Looks like all your yelling has started to wake him up."

"Good, it's about time. Finally, we'll get some answers. Close the door," Mina commanded. "I don't want anyone interfering."

Trudge hesitated for a moment, possibly questioning the legality of such an act, but quickly stepped forward to oblige her. He swung the door shut then quickly moved to stand across Mina, towering over Konami's bedside. There, they hovered imperiously, waiting for the moment he'd finally open his eyes.

It came...sooner than they'd expected.

" _Wiraqocha Rasca!_ " he suddenly shouted, eyes snapping wide open as he shot upright. The strings and cords attached to his body nearly came loose at his quick and rapid motions, only to settle as Konami realized that he was not in any danger.

At the very least, not the kind he was used to.

"Bad dream?" Mina questioned, arms folded as she stood over Konami with a scowl.

"...Simington," Konami greeted. His eyes darted around the room, taking in his surroundings as he tried to gather himself. "Where am I?"

"Other than in deep shit?" Trudge snarked, "Domino General. Security had you brought over as soon as caught you and your friends fleeing the scene."

"My friends? Fleeing the scene...?" Konami asked. His memories must have returned to him, for at that moment, his eyes jumped wide. "Wisteria and Carly! What happened?! Are they alright?! What about Enzo?!"

"Everyone's fine. Physically, at least." Mina said, "But you have to realize that you're all treading on thin ice here. Your friends were caught trying to slip you through the perimeter unseen. Now you have to understand Konami, you were in bad shape. Unconscious, bruised and scraped beyond belief. It's a miracle you're even awake. So I had to ask myself...why sneak? Surely they could've just called Emergency Services to wheel you over to the hospital without a fuss. So I had to start thinking about why they'd want to not use Sector Security's resources, and the only thing I could think of was that you, or someone around you...is hiding something."

Konami stared at her silently.

"The city's been hurt, Konami." Mina continued when it became apparent that he wasn't going to speak, "The Downtown District has been completely decimated. There's no telling how long it'll take our construction crews to get everything cleaned up. So I'll ask you again: Did you have something to do with this? It'd make sense. You have a habit of getting involved with dangerous things, and you and Carly were the only ones to get checked in with anything more than a scratch. So was it just bad luck, or was it something else?"

More silence.

More damning, inescapable silence.

Mina sighed.

"Will you...give us a second?" she asked Trudge, only to earn a sputter for her efforts.

"You want me to leave you alone with him?" Trudge asked, flabbergasted.

"I need to speak with him privately," Mina said, "and the only way I can do that is if you aren't around. So yes, Trudge. I'm asking you to leave."

"You heard the lady," Konami said. "Don't hit the door on your way out, Trudge."

" _You_ be quiet," Mina hissed. She turned back to her partner, "Trudge, please."

The man glowered, "Alright, fine. But I want you to know that I'm against the idea. Red Hat's a tricky one; if you don't keep a close eye on him, he'll-"

"-thanks for your concern," Mina replied, "but I can take care of myself."

Trudge grumbled some obscenity while glaring at Konami, then turned on his heel and slammed the door on his way out. Mina sighed as she watched him cross the hall to Carly's room, then cast her glare back toward Konami.

"Wow. Tell me, do you always kick your partner out when you want to get personal with a patient?" Konami asked, casting his gaze toward the interior window where Trudge stood glaring at them from across the hall. "Or do you just like to let him watch from afar while you get... _intimate?_ "

"Cut the crap," Mina hissed. "I'm not in the mood for any of your games."

"Alright, alright," Konami relented, raising his hands in defeat. "Forgive a guy for trying to lighten the mood. So, here I am. You wanted me alone, and you got me. What wise wisdom can I lay on you today, officer?"

"Oh, I don't know," she began. "How about you start by telling me why the hell you took part in a duel that wrecked a quarter of my city?!"

"Duel?" Konami asked. "What duel?"

"Don't play dumb with me. The other Securities might be too stupid to figure it out, but as the Vice Director I have direct access to Lazar's footage! I might not have seen the people summoning them, but I did see what monsters showed up while tearing through the city, including one certain bronze giant we _both_ know lies in your Deck!"

"Bronze, huh?" Konami sighed. "So you saw it, then."

"That's right," Mina confirmed with a grin. "A monster only one Duelist in this city is known to use. Exodius, the Ultimate Forbidden Lord!"

"You sure it wasn't the Legendary Incarnate? Or hell, maybe even True Exodia? There are so many incarnations that, well...anyone could have them!"

"Don't even start! It was Exodius! I saw it clear as day before Lazar scrubbed the file!" Mina snapped. "For some stupid reason, he seems to be under the impression that he can spin this as some sort kind of Momentum-induced earthquake. Might even work, given how everyone at the scene seems to have forgotten anything about the _GIANT BIRD_ tearing the roofs off of their houses!" She slammed her hand against the bed's railing with a curse. "I know it's pointless trying to press the issue with you. Lazar's made it clear he has your back for some reason or another, not that he'll tell me why that is. Even so...I want to know! Just what sort of threat did you face last night? What kind of menace has invaded New Domino?! Was it Carly?"

The name of his fellow Dark Signer made Konami tense.

"It only makes sense," Mina said. "Her change in outfit, the more confident demeanor. Not to mention all the people on site who just _happened_ to be employees of the Daily Duel, a place where _she_ worked - at least until yesterday evening, from what Mr. Pitts told us. Firing her is the last thing he remembers, you know? In fact, it's the last thing most of the people we found there remember."

"Just what are you trying to say?" Konami inquired.

"That there's a connection," Mina explained. "You can't deny it! She's the one who summoned that damned bird that blew up downtown, isn't she? What's her motive? Was it revenge?! How did she cause real damage? Did she awaken some psychic ability like Akiza and Sayer? Did she get ahold of some new technology? Answer me, goddamnit! She's obviously dangerous-!"

"-she's not dangerous. At least, no more than you or I."

A half-truth. Though she didn't know it, Mina too carried the power of darkness within her. The Whale, Chacu Challhua had claimed her as its vessel once before, and it was only a matter of time until it did so again.

 _'But not now,'_ Konami thought. _'Not after what Carly and I did Downtown. I can't awaken anyone else in the city...not when there are so many people who could get hurt. To protect them, as well as Mina's honor as one of the few decent Sector Security Agents...I won't let her get involved. Not yet.'_

"Rest assured, Carly was not the one I was dueling." Konami told her. "That being said, I have no intention of telling you who it was, either."

"What?!" Mina sputtered, "Why not?!"

"Because, quite frankly, it doesn't concern you," Konami said.

"Doesn't concern-?" Mina grimaced. "Last I checked, _I_ was the Sector Security Agent here! The safety of New Domino City _is_ my concern, and if I have reason to believe you're withholding information that could threaten the city or it's citizens, then I have to right to know what it is!"

"It's already been handled."

"Handled?!" MIna scoffed, "You call wrecking the city handling it?!"

Konami winced, "Things...might've gotten a little out of hand."

Mina's eyes widened.

"Out of hand?" she repeated, something dark bubbling up within her. "You-!"

Before she knew what she was doing, she had stepped forward and grabbed Konami by the collar. His eyes widened as she made to lift him off the bed, only to instead pull him inches away from her face so she could scream at him.

"Out of hand is nowhere even close to how _fucked_ up this is! Don't you realize how many people were hurt? How many people could've been _killed_?! And you have the audacity to say things got 'a little out of hand?!' You're lucky Lazar seems to have some reason to cover for you, because if it were up to me, you and your little friends would've been thrown in a holding cell until I got some proper answers out of you!"

"Calm down, Mina..." Konami warned. "You don't want to lose it right here. Not in front of all these patients."

" _Don't tell me to calm down, you little-_ "

The door to the room slammed open, and several individuals rushed inside.

"Mina-" Trudge started.

" _WHAT IN HEAVENS NAME IS GOING ON IN HERE?!_ " The unmistakable voice of Lazar interrupted, the booming sound reverberating through the room.

"Director Lazar!" Mina gasped. "I was just-"

"Manhandling a patient?" a loud, snobby voice inquired. "Just what kind of ship are you running here, Lazar? I thought Sector Security had gotten past police brutality and excessive use of force?!"

Mina's eyes widened at the implications.

"No, it wasn't-! I wasn't-!"

"Rest assured, Mr. Princeton! Such actions are completely against Sector Security protocol! I will be having words with Ms. Simington about this... _violent_ display of hers."

"Violent?" Mina inquired, "Me? But Director, this person has vital information regarding what happened Downtown-"

"-I thought I had told you to drop it?" Lazar interrupted with a glare. "I recall ordering you to set up a perimeter and evacuate the civilians, not pursue dead end leads for what was clearly a natural disaster!"

"A disaster?" Trudge asked, wide-eyed. "But I thought-"

" _No buts!_ " Lazar continued. "We'll be speaking of this later, of that, you and Agent Simington can be sure! Now, unhand Mr. Kodo! Now that he's awake, he's been cleared for discharge. He's free to leave."

"Ngh...!" Mina grimaced. She then shoved Konami back onto the bed, leaving him to remove the devices monitoring his vitals.

"I tried to warn you..." he whispered softly, "but you didn't listen."

"Of course she didn't," the snobby voice cut in. "Who would listen to a Slifer Slacker like you?"

The words sparked a bit of surprise in Konami, and he glanced up to find himself staring into the face of an old friend. One he'd caught up with rather recently.

"On your feet, slacker!" Chazz Princeton commanded, staring down at him with folded arms. "We've got a lot to do, and I'm way too busy to waste time around here bailing you out of trouble!"

"Chazz...?" Konami asked, stunned. "You're the one who came to pick me up?"

"That's right. The Chazz heard what was up and decided to lend you a hand," Chazz said with a self-satisfied smirk. It quickly turned into a scowl the moment he realized Konami had yet to thank him. "Why? You got a problem with me or somethin'?!"

"Not at all," Konami said with a smile. "On the contrary, I'm glad you showed up when you did. You saved me, thanks."

"Hmph, if you really wanna thank me, hurry up and get dressed so we can leave this trash heap! I already told you I'm busy!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Konami sighed, unhooking the last of his medical devices before making to stand.

Mina began to simmer at the sight, and she took a step forward to continue her interrogation, when-

"Not now," Trudge said, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder. "Let it go."

"Tsk...!"

"What's her deal?" Chazz asked, noticing Mina's scowl. "You cheat her out of a Golden Egg Sandwich or somethin'?"

"Just a misunderstanding," Konami sighed, answering for her. "It's nothing personal, don't get so worked up about it."

"Misunderstanding? Nothing personal? Red Hat, you-" Mina started.

"-are leaving." Lazar interjected, glaring at Mina.

She bristled.

Was that it? Just like that, her best lead was getting off because he knew someone important? Damn it, Lazar! Was the Princeton Group's sponsorship really _that_ important?!

"Where are my things?" Konami asked, rolling his shoulders.

"Over there, by the window. Simington, be a dear and grab them for him, would you?" Lazar instructed.

Mina's frown only deepened at the suggestion. So not only was she expected to let him walk, but she was supposed to play nice and dress him too? What a joke! Lazar was crazy if he thought she'd just bend over and obey like a good little soldier! And as for Konami...well, it was obvious that whatever secret he and Lazar were hiding would leave with him the moment they walked out the door! He would be back out in the city, doing who-knows-what who-knows-where, to who-knows-who. There'd be no way of tracing him. No way of hunting him down-

Unless...

Striding across the room to Konami's possessions, Mina quietly unraveled his signature red jacket and hat.

Her eyes narrowed, and she moved.

"Here," she said with a glower, turning on her heel to deposit the item in Konami's hands.

"Thanks," he told her, accepting the gift and slinging it around his back. He slid his arms up the sleeves and pulled the cloth taut so it hung off him nicely. Jacket done, he quickly stuffed the KC ballcap onto his head.

The Red Hat was back.

"His deck too, my dear." Lazar told her.

Mina had to stop herself from snarling at the man. What sort of humiliation was this? Not just Konami's clothes, but his possessions as well? If he was good to be discharged, surely he was good enough to walk and get his own damned deck! Still, for the sake of appearances if nothing else...

She strolled back to the window sill with grit teeth, and laid her hand upon the wretched deck-

 _-Director Goodwin was beaten. He laid helpless before her, unable to move, unable to breathe as her heel dug deep into his gut._

 _"S-Simington...? How...? Why...?"_

 _Her eyes widened in delight. This was what she wanted. The despair on Goodwin's face was incredible, and yet, it paled to how he made her felt so long ago! She wanted to see more, to make him feel more! Grinning as her heel ground its way deeper into the man's boiling flesh, she kneeled forward to answer his pitiable question._

 _"You didn't really think I came all this way to turn you into a Dark Signer, did you?" she asked coyly. "Dear Director, you really should have known better. You expected me to offer you the power of the shadows, after the way you treated me when I was alive? Hah! You really are quite full of yourself, aren't you?"_

 _Goodwin gasped as she stomped her foot in deep. Mina's eyes widened. Was that blood on his lips she saw?!_

 _"Mina, please..."_

 _"No, my dear Director," she said with a smirk. "I'm afraid that at the moment, there's only one open slot...and it certainly won't be going to you. But don't worry," she patted his cheek as if consoling a puppy. "There is a nice comfy seat waiting for you. Deep in the abyss of the Netherworld, that is! Ahahahahaha!"_

 _And as she stomped her foot in one last time, the purple flames burst around her, consuming everything whole-_

"-I don't like other people touching my deck," Konami said, his hand brushing hers off the cards as he slid them into his holster.

 _'WHAT THE HELL?'_ Were Mina's first thoughts, which were quickly followed by, "Konami, what-"

"-I'll tell you later," he whispered. "But not here."

Well.

Well, well, well.

If she was certain he was hiding something before, Mina definitely was now. He had to be, with what she had just seen. Although, what _was_ it she had seen, really? A trick of the light? Some vivid hallucination brought on by stress?

No.

It was a memory.

Of Director Goodwin, it seemed.

But wasn't he missing?

"Let's go, slacker!" Chazz boomed, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for Konami to finish up. "I don't have all day!"

"Right, sorry Chazz. Let's get out of here."

"Wait, I still have questions-!" Mina started, taking a step after them only for Lazar to quick intrude upon her path.

"She means we'll be in touch, Mr. Kodo. We do have much to catch up on. Very much, indeed." The clown amended with a smile.

Konami frowned at the expression.

"Don't try to leave town." Mina threatened. "You know, in case I have more questions. And I will have more questions."

"There's a time and a place for everything," Konami replied. "Maybe someday you'll find the answers you're looking for. But not here. And not today."

Mina squinted and tried to utter a retort, but before she could, Lazar's jolly laugh cut through the tension.

" _Ohohohoho,_ " he chuckled, stepping between the two and guiding Konami toward the door. "That's quite enough of that, I think. Do take care Konami, and for heaven's sake, try not to cause too much trouble before the week's out? I'd hate to have you mistaken for a hoodlum and tossed into one of our... _facilities_..."

"Don't worry," Konami told him. "I'm not planning on causing any trouble anytime soon."

"Glad to hear it! Enjoy the rest of your day, and don't worry, we'll foot the bill!"

With those words, Lazar gleefully shooed Chazz and Konami out the room. Once they were gone, he closed the door behind them, and turned to face his two Agents with a souring expression.

"Now then," he began, that mocking grin of his turning into something fierce. "Would you two mind explaining to me just what it is you thought you were doing?"

Mina felt her patience crack.

Outside, Konami resisted the urge to smile as a slew of obscenities erupted in the room they'd just left. Mina had become a tough cookie ever since she'd taken on the role of Vice Director, and there was no way she was going to stand for that humiliating act Lazar put her through. She'd gotten enough of that back when she worked as a secretary beneath Director Goodwin.

Goodwin.

Now there was a name Konami didn't think he'd hear again.

Unlike the greater populace, who believed the man was simply missing in action, Konami knew the truth.

Director Goodwin was dead, destroyed by Mina Simington in an act of revenge brought about by the Dark Signers. Konami hadn't been there; on the contrary, he'd been back at his apartment at the time, and only heard about the collapse of Goodwin's building on the news, moments before meeting Z-one for the first time! Which begged the question...

 _'Why did my deck show Mina the aftermath of their duel?'_ Konami asked, glaring at the cards in question as they sat within his holster. _'None of them were there, none of them should have any connection to Director Goodwin or that battle, so why-?'_

A heartbeat echoed from his deck. Glancing at the cards in surprise, Konami reached down and flicked open his holster. The heartbeat continued to pulse, sending vibrations through the leather pouch and up his leg as he reached down toward the deck.

Inching closer and closer to destiny, his fingers wrapped around one of the cards...and pulled.

He hesitated, then glanced into the abyss. The card that met his gaze was-

 _WIRAQOCHA RASCA!_

"Slacker!" Chazz's words cut through the void, and Konami took a deep breath as he stumbled backward and shook his head.

He wasn't holding any card. They were still in his holster, seated snug against his leg. A leg planted firmly in the hallway, along with the rest of Konami's body.

 _'A hallucination?'_ Konami thought, glancing at his empty hand worriedly. _'Is it just stress? No, don't be ridiculous. You've never suffered hallucinations or visions like this before! The only thing that's changed is-!'_

He turned his hand over and studied the forearm attached to it. The Mark of the Condor stared back at him, its intricate design throbbing even now.

"...tch!"

"Hey, slacker! You gonna keep ignoring me or what?!"

"What? Oh," Konami frowned, only then remembering that he wasn't alone.

Chazz was there, waiting for him further down the hall.

"Are you coming, or should I throw you back in with those Securities?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he promised. "I just...I just need a minute."

"Well, could you speed it up?" Chazz asked. "I've got like a million other things I could be doing right now."

"Yeah, yeah, because the Chazz is _so_ popular these days..." Konami muttered beneath his breath.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing," Konami sighed, squinting his eyes shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll-I'll meet you up front. There's a person I need to see before I leave."

"Hmph, whatever. Just don't make me wait too long, or I'll. Go. Bye-Bye."

With the threat of leaving him behind delivered, Chazz turned on his heel and began walking toward the lobby. Konami watched him go, then turned to face the room across from his.

The room he saw Carly in earlier.

 _'She's waiting for us,'_ something whispered in his ear. _'Our hedonistic little hummingbird. We won't leave her behind, will we? She is, after all, our precious partner...'_

Troubled, Konami approached her room's door hesitantly. The whisper beside him purred as he stepped closer and closer, growing louder and stronger as he finally gripped the handle and peered inside.

Suddenly, it ceased.

Why?

Because Carly was there, in the room.

But so was Jack.

 _'A Signer!'_ the whisper hissed, booming stronger than ever at the sight of the blonde King. _'Eternal foe! We should destroy him! Make him kneel before our glory before casting him into the nether! His bones will feed our flesh, and we shall celebrate his defeat and dance upon his grave!'_

"No," Konami whispered. "There will be none of that."

 _'You resist,'_ the whisper noticed, _'but for how long? One day? Two? The Condor flies freely within you now...its will shall not be denied.'_

 _'Not while I'm in charge,'_ Konami thought with a growl. He glanced through the door's window once more.

Jack and Carly were talking to one another, not as enemies. Not as warriors of an ancient battle destined to repeat for eternity, but as friends. No, perhaps even more than that. From the expression on his face, it was clear that Jack was worried about her, and Carly...

She hadn't noticed him yet.

Neither of them had.

 _'We can take her!'_ the whisper growled. _'Drag her back into the shadows with us, where she belongs!'_

"No," Konami said. "Not yet."

 _'Coward,'_

"Nice try, but I'm not going in there because I'm afraid of Jack. I've already beaten him," Konami murmured softly, glaring at the Mark on his arm. "And just like him, _you_ will fall before me too. You might have an edge right now, but that's just because I don't enough information about this power of mine. I was in over my head, yet I chose to use it anyway, to risk everything on the chance that the Dark Signers were the key to winning the fight against E'Rah... I charged ahead recklessly, not thinking about the consequences my actions might have. I dragged Carly back into a world of violence, and irrevocably destroyed the card keeping my own darkness at bay. I can't make the same mistake again. No, I won't! Not with Mina, and not with anyone else!"

He smashed his eyes shut, took a deep breath, and released his grip on the handle.

"I still believe I made the right decision...but what I lack is information." Konami told himself, "On how to control this power properly...and how to ensure that what happened with Carly won't happen again! Jack, I'll leave her in your care for now."

He opened his eyes.

"I know what I have to do."

 _ **-TF2-**_

 _"You want me to fly you where?!"_ Chazz hollered.

"To Nazca," Konami repeated.

The two were seated at the table Chazz's hotel room, having arrived several minutes ago after a long and silent car ride. Wisteria and Enzo were there as well, conversing amongst themselves near the door so as to give the two some space. Konami appreciated the gesture; Chazz was making things stuffy enough as is.

"Yeah, that's what I thought you said!" Chazz replied. "I refuse! Do you have any idea how long that'd take?!"

"About twenty hours, maybe more if we stop to stretch our legs."

"That was a rhetorical question! I'm not flying you out to Peru!"

"Aw, come on, Chazz. It's the only place I might be able to find some more information on how to deal with this Mark!" Konami complained, showing off the winged condor to the graduated Obelisk. "If it's the money you're worried about, I can pay no problem!"

"If you can pay, then why don't you just fly commercial so I don't have to waste my time?!"

"Because, that means I'll be stuck in the air with a bunch of innocent people on board! I already told you about how I'm hearing things, what if it gets worse while I'm in the air? What if I snap all of sudden and wind up crashing the plane or something!"

"Oh, I get it. So you don't want to put any strangers in danger, but you're fine if it's me, huh?!"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Konami protested. "You're a Pro Duelist, and a great one at that! If something happened, you're one of the only people I can trust to beat me in a duel and bring me back to my senses!"

"Yeah, I could beat you," Chazz agreed, "but that doesn't mean I want to! In case you haven't noticed, I'm a busy guy, Red Hat! I don't have time to run around making sure you don't lose what little sanity you have left! Besides, if a Duelist is all you need, why don't you just bring along one of your little Signer friends?"

"That's... They're not an option."

"Oh?" Chazz inquired, raising a brow. "Burned bridges with them already? What a surprise."

The way he said it made it clear he didn't really think so.

"It's not like that!" Konami grumbled. "I just...don't want to involve them in this. I've caused trouble for them as is."

"Then what about your girlfriend over there?" Chazz asked, gesturing at the girl as she hissed something rude to Enzo. "Last I checked, her family had nearly as many resources as mine does! Surely she'd be able to book you a ticket to Nazca."

"I thought of that, but...her resources are quite limited at the moment," Konami admitted.

"Oh right, I heard about that. The partnership with Kojima Robotics, right?" Chazz queried. "How's it feel? Knowing your girl's family is moving on to bigger and better things? I'd congratulate her, if it weren't for her still putting up with a slacker like you!"

"Stop trying to change the subject!" Konami spat, slapping his palms against the table between them. "Are you going to help me or not?!"

"Ask, ask, ask! That's all you seem to do these days!" Chazz shot back. "Well, I'm sick and tired of it! It's time you gave something to me for a change! You do that, and I'll fly you wherever you wanna go."

"Are you serious? The future of humanity is at stake here!"

"Who do I look like?" Chazz asked, "Jaden? Sorry, but I'll need something a little more _material_ if you want help from me!"

Konami fell back into his chair with a snarl. This was why he hated dealing with Chazz! The man had mellowed out a lot since their year together at the Academy, but sometimes it still felt like he didn't know how to see the big picture!

"What do you want?" Konami asked.

"How about that shiny gold Duel Disk of yours?" Chazz asked. "It'd go nicely with my Ojama costume!"

"No way! It has sentimental value. Besides, don't you have people who'd make you any color Duel Disk you want? Why do you need mine?!"

"Feh, worth a shot." Chazz shrugged, "Well, you need to give me something. I've done enough for you over the years, and you still haven't paid me back after borrowing my Kaibaman costume a year ago!"

"Yeah, I know..." Konami grumbled, face pulled into a pained expression. "But my Duel Disk is a little too important. I need it! Isn't there anything else you want, or need done? A favor or...some sort of work?"

"Work? Actually, now that you mention it, there is one thing you could do for me." Chazz realized, "I'm supposed to be in Naples tomorrow for a big promotion. Nothing too difficult, just a Tag Duel to promote some new TV show or something. Thing is, those losers actually thought they could afford to book Seto Kaiba! Since that obviously didn't work out, they've been working overtime to try and book a new guy, but they've pretty much run out of time. They were planning on just calling it quits on the whole thing, but now that you're here..."

"...you want me to fill in for him?" Konami guessed with a sigh. "I dunno, those are some pretty big shoes to fill."

"You didn't seem to mind filling them before when you wore that outfit!" Chazz retorted.

Konami had the decency to blush.

"Look," Chazz continued. "It's not like I'm telling you to go out there and summon three Blue-Eyes White Dragons! That's not what they wanted him for! They just wanted some good Duelists who knew how to use XYZ monsters, and Kaiba and I are some of the most well-known people to ever summon the Dragon Cannon!"

"That's all well and good, but in case you've forgotten, I don't have XYZ monsters!" Konami explained.

"Don't you though?" Chazz inquired, raising a knowing brow.

Konami frowned, "Those are _Xyz_ monsters, not XYZ monsters! And most of the public doesn't even know they exist!"

"Then it's about time we changed that, isn't it?"

"Nrgh..."

"So, what's it gonna be, Red Hat?" Chazz asked, folding his arms. "You gonna help me out or not?"

"Is it the only way I'll get you to fly me to Nazca?" Konami pressed one last time.

"Darn right it is."

"Then I guess I don't have a choice. You win, Chazz. I'm all yours."

"For the next couple of days, you bet you are! Now go home and get your things, because now that you've signed on, we've got to go!"

"Right now?" Konami asked, surprised. "I was expecting at least a little time to rest-"

"-you can rest on the plane!" Chazz barked. "It's a twelve hour flight, and we need to be there by tomorrow, so get going, slacker! I need to call my agents and let them know we're back on. I'll get the jet all squared away and ready to go, so go back to your apartment so you can grab your extra jackets and toothpaste or whatever. I'm not planning on traveling with a hobo with no sense of hygiene!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Konami drawled, rising from the chair as their discussion came to an end. "I'll grab everything I need for a long trip. Can't say it's exactly as immediate as I wanted it to be, but you're still helping me out here I guess, so thanks."

"If you really want to thank me, hurry up and get going already." Chazz huffed, "I'll text you the location once the plane's ready to go. I want you on it in an hour, and not a second later!"

"Yes, your majesty." Konami said with a mock bow as he retreated. Ignoring Chazz's outraged shout, he turned on his heel and made for the door, where Wisteria and Enzo were both waiting for him.

"Did you two sort everything out?" Wisteria asked.

"Kind of," Konami said. "Chazz will fly me to Nazca, but only if I help him out with something first."

"Oh?" Wisteria inquired. "The illustrious Chazz Princeton needs help? With what, precisely?"

"Seems like he wants me to team up with him in a Tag Duel for some promotion he's doing overseas. I'm supposed to meet him at the airport in an hour, so I was gonna head home and pack some things."

"Okay, I'll head home and do the same!" Wisteria said with a smile. "Should we meet up at the airport?"

"Actually, Wisteria..." Konami began, "...I was thinking I'd have you and Enzo stay behind."

"What?" she gasped. "Why?!"

"I'm a little worried about Mina." He explained, "When I was at the hospital and she touched my deck, she saw something - a vision of her time as a Dark Signer. It didn't seem like it affected her at all, if anything, it only furthered the suspicions she has about me, but I want you two to keep an eye on her and let me know if something comes up."

"You think she's going to lose it like Carly did?"

"As long as nothing too stressful happens to her in the coming days, no. It's just...after what happened this time, I want to be prepared, you know? I left Carly with Jack, so you can coordinate with her and the Signers if you need to while I'm gone. Just don't let Mina get too close to Carly without keeping an eye on her. When two Dark Signers are together...there's no telling what might happen."

 _'Don't lie, it's obvious what happens!'_ the whisper hissed in his ear. _'Death, destruction, the feast of a thousand souls!'_

"So we've gone from observing Signers to monitoring Dark Signers, have we?" Wisteria mused. "So what we call ourselves now? The Dark Signer Observation Team? No, that's not right. Makes it sound like we're monitoring you too. And if you and Carly are also part of team then...the Dark Signers of Domino, perhaps?"

 _'I rather like that one, really lets them know what we're all about, doesn't it?'_ the whisper purred.

"Ugh..." Konami gripped his head in pain, shaking off the oncoming headache as he ignored the treacherous words.

"Are you hearing things again?" Wisteria asked.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "Seems like Rasca's trying to whittle me down...but it won't work. No matter what it tries, I won't break. Not until I've gotten some answers."

"Just what are you hoping to find in Nazca anyway?" Wisteria asked, "We went there before, and it didn't exactly turn out well, remember?"

"No, I don't. Because last time we went, I was unconscious!"

His poor showing at the Fortune Cup... His defeat at Akiza's hands that had knocked him into a psychic coma-!

How pitiful!

"Things are different this time. I'm awake and ready to go. I won't have to rely on Enzo to do all the heavy lifting! And on that note, what the hell's wrong with him?" he asked, glancing at the sandy-haired man as his eyes burned Chazz's appearance into his brain.

"He's a fan," Wisteria sighed. "I don't know how many times I had to keep him from running over and asking Chazz for an autograph!"

"Did someone say autograph?!" Enzo asked, snapping his head toward them. "Konami! Come on, pal! Tell me you got me an autograph!"

Konami sighed, "You can get all the autographs you want from him later, but right now we're a little busy."

He opened the door to the hotel room, ushering his friends through.

"Aww man," Enzo complained as he was pushed out the door. "At least let me get a picture with him-"

Konami followed them out and closed the door behind them.

"Priorities," he told the man as he did. "I need to get home and grab some extra clothes. Along with whatever else I'll need to last a few days overseas."

"Do you have your passport?" Wisteria asked.

"Obviously," Konami replied. "How'd you think I got here?"

"No need to be rude about it," Wisteria huffed. "Just covering the bases."

"I know, sorry." He apologized, "I'm just a little wound up."

 _'Don't apologize!'_ the whisper hissed. _'Berate her for her stupidity! Insult her foolishness! Drive her to the depths of despair!'_

"So you're heading back to the apartment?" Enzo asked. "Wonder how it looks. The place was pretty scorched when we last saw it."

"Just the parking lot," Wisteria replied. "The actual building was untouched. One of the few downtown that escaped last night's chaos unscathed."

The words only served to deepen the frown on Konami's face. No one liked being reminded of their failures, and he was no different.

"So, how are you getting back then?" Enzo asked, "Is Chazz dropping us off?"

"No, why?"

"Because we rode over with you guys, duh! And it's not like you can drive yourself. I mean, your Duel Runner's in pieces after that wreck, remember?!"

Konami's foot stopped mid-step. No, in fact, he hadn't remembered. He'd been far too busy dealing with Carly, and Mathew and Mina, after that! He never had the chance to think about his ruined ride, or what it meant for his prospects of joining the WRGP. Without a Duel Runner, you couldn't compete, so what was he supposed to do now?

"We'll get it fixed," Wisteria promised him. "But in the meantime, you need to figure out how we're getting back."

Konami sighed. Really, sometimes it felt like life just wasn't cutting him any breaks. Turning on his heel, he strode back down the hallway toward Chazz's hotel room. He'd thought he was done asking favors, but it looked like he'd need one more.

* * *

 _ **Chapter Twelve - END**_

* * *

 _"Konami Kodo, you won't escape!"_

 _After making a deal with Chazz to secure flight to Nazca, Konami returns to his apartment to gather his things. After parting ways with Wisteria and Enzo, he heads toward the airport housing the private plane, only to find his path obstructed by Mina and Trudge! Having tracked him via less-than-legal means, they force him into a Turbo Duel intent on stalling his engine! As the clock ticks closer toward the time of departure, what will come of their high-speed clash?!_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Escape from the City! A One Shot Run!**_

 _"This time, you won't get away!"_

* * *

 _ **Read and Review!**_


	13. Escape from the City! A One Shot Run!

_"Just what are you hoping to find in Nazca anyway?" Wisteria asked, "We went there before, and it didn't exactly turn out well, remember?"_

 _"No, I don't." Konami said, "The last time we went, I was unconscious!"_

 _His poor showing at the Fortune Cup... His defeat at Akiza's hands that had knocked him into a psychic coma-!_

 _How pitiful!_

 _"Things are different this time. I'm awake and ready to go. I won't have to rely on Enzo to do all the heavy lifting! And on that note, what the hell's wrong with him?" he asked, glancing at the sandy-haired man as his eyes burned Chazz's appearance into his brain._

 _"He's a fan," Wisteria sighed. "I don't know how many times I had to keep him from running over and asking Chazz for an autograph!"_

 _"Did someone say autograph?!" Enzo asked, snapping his head toward them. "Konami! Come on, pal! Tell me you got me an autograph!"_

 _Konami sighed, "You can get all the autographs you want from him later, but right now we're a little busy."_

 _He opened the door to the hotel room, ushering his friends through._

 _"Aww man," Enzo complained as he was pushed out the door. "At least let me get a picture with him-"_

 _Konami followed them out and closed the door behind them._

 _"Priorities," he told the man as he did. "I need to get home and grab some extra clothes. Along with whatever else I'll need to last a few days overseas."_

 _"Do you have your passport?" Wisteria asked._

 _"Obviously," Konami replied. "How'd you think I got here?"_

 _"No need to be rude about it," Wisteria huffed. "Just covering the bases."_

 _"I know, sorry." He apologized, "I'm just a little wound up."_

 _'Don't apologize!' the whisper hissed. 'Berate her for her stupidity! Insult her foolishness! Drive her to the depths of despair!'_

 _"So you're heading back to the apartment?" Enzo asked. "Wonder how it looks. The place was pretty scorched when we last saw it."_

 _"Just the parking lot," Wisteria replied. "The actual building was untouched. One of the few downtown that escaped last night's chaos unscathed."_

 _The words only served to deepen the frown on Konami's face. No one liked being reminded of their failures, and he was no different._

 _"So, how are you getting back then?" Enzo asked, "Is Chazz dropping us off?"_

 _"No, why?"_

 _"Because we rode over with you guys, duh! And it's not like you can drive yourself. I mean, your Duel Runner's in pieces after that wreck, remember?!"_

 _Konami's foot stopped mid-step. No, in fact, he hadn't remembered. He'd been far too busy dealing with Carly, and Mathew and Mina, after that! He never had the chance to think about his ruined ride, or what it meant for his prospects of joining the WRGP. Without a Duel Runner, you couldn't compete, so what was he supposed to do now?_

 _"We'll get it fixed," Wisteria promised him. "But in the meantime, you need to figure out how we're getting back."_

 _Konami sighed. Really, sometimes it felt like life just wasn't cutting him any breaks. Turning on his heel, he strode back down the hallway toward Chazz's hotel room. He'd thought he was done asking for favors, but it looked like he'd need one more._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Thirteen**_

* * *

 _ **Escape from the City! A One Shot Run!**_

* * *

Chazz gave them the keys to his rental.

"Bring it back in one piece or I'll have your head!" he'd shouted with a glare.

Konami promised him that he'd do his best. Although, it wasn't like the car was all that to begin with. It certainly wasn't the hottest thing on the market, that was for sure. Quite the contrary, in fact.

It was a Prius.

Not just any Prius either, but a Prius v, a five passenger minivan that boasted environmental safety. In other words, not exactly what Konami envisioned when it came to speed.

Still, beggars couldn't be choosers, so after thanking Chazz once again for his kindness, he'd taken the damn thing and drove back to the apartment with Wisteria and Enzo in tow. Street traffic was still rather slowed due to the destruction of the Downtown District, but construction was already in full swing. Legions of hard hats worked diligently on the roads, clearing and sweeping away the debris so that cars could get through. Fortunately, most of the highways were left intact, allowing most traffic to simply take a detour and get through the city unimpeded.

Using a similar route, it only took about ten minutes for Konami to arrive at his apartment's parking lot. Empty spaces stared back at him as he pulled the Prius onto its curb, signaling the fact that most of the other residents had already left to pursue whatever errands they needed to complete. Having no small of choices, Konami backed the vehicle into the first space he could, then turned to take in the state of the building and its surroundings.

Though a few black scorch marks from the ring of fire still stained the street, most of the evidence regarding Carly's descent into evil had vanished. The building, like Wisteria had suggested earlier, was completely unscathed. Not a single shard of glass had fallen from the windows, which left Konami hoping that the same rang true for the interior as well.

"Alright, everybody out." He said, unlocking the doors to the Prius. Enzo and Wisteria piled out of the car behind him, and after sliding their doors shut, they turned to stare at the apartment beside him.

"Home sweet home," Enzo breathed in relief, turning to examine his Duel Runner in the parking space beside them. "And look, Bessie survived too! Ha ha! This day is just getting better and better!"

"You named your Duel Runner _Bessie_?" Wisteria sneered. "Why?"

"'Cause just like a cow, I take her by the horns and giddy up! She's a real kicker, this one, but that's why I love her! Ain't that right girl?!" he cried, rubbing the smooth metal of the Duel Runner lovingly.

"Whatever," Wisteria said with a roll of her eyes. She grabbed Enzo by the hand and dragged him toward the apartment. "Come on, cowboy. I'm not gonna miss out on helping Konami pack because _you're_ busy touching your motorcycle."

"It's not a motorcycle," Enzo complained. "It's a Duel Runner, or a D-Wheel, if you wanna shorten the name! Motorcycles don't have Duel Screens!"

"Does it have two wheels?" Wisteria asked.

"Yes."

"Does it have an engine?"

"Yes..."

"Then it's a motorcycle!" she shouted.

Sighing at their antics, Konami hit the lock button on the car keys and waited for the Prius to beep. Taking the noise as proof it was locked, he then strolled up the stairs to his apartment. Wisteria and Enzo had already let themselves in by the time he got up there, no doubt due to the fact that the locks on his door were less than secure.

 _'I never did get around to putting in a work order, did I?'_ he wondered, swinging the door open to let himself in. _'I should get on that sometime, not that I'm afraid of any robber beating_ me _down.'_

He stepped inside.

"Alright," he sighed, "let's get this started- _whoa!_ "

Suddenly, unexpectedly, he found himself attacked not by Wisteria and Enzo, but rather, a fearsome mountain of green hair.

Those of the twins, Luna and Leo.

"Konami, you're here!" Luna said with a smile, holding his leg tight.

"Yeah, I knew you'd come back!" Leo cheered. "Did you beat Carly? Didja?! Didja?!"

"Luna...? Leo...?" Konami asked with a frown. "You're both still here?"

"Well, duh. We couldn't exactly go home with that mess downtown, could we?" Leo asked casually, stretching his arms behind him as he grinned. "So me and Luna decided to crash here for the night! Hope you didn't mind!"

"I don't, but...didn't Mathew offer to take you with him?"

Leo's smile faltered somewhat, and his gaze cast itself against the wall, away from everyone.

"Well, uh, he did, but..."

"Leo didn't want to leave without thanking you," Luna explained.

"Yeah, that's it!" the boy said with a grin. "You were totally awesome out there when you saved Luna! You were all like, _**"I Will Save Them Both!"**_ and then you drew a card and it came out and it snatched Luna and it was so cool!"

"Was it?" Konami asked, casting his gaze to the ground. "I wasn't trying to look cool. I just wanted to make sure she and Alice were safe..."

"Speaking of Alice, did you speak with Mathew yet?" Luna asked warily.

"Feh!" Wisteria spat.

Everyone glanced toward her, but she said nothing else.

"Yeah, we talked." Konami said finally. "And after we did, we decided it'd be best if we...parted ways...for a while."

"Parted ways?" Luna asked with a frown. "What's that mean?"

"It means he thinks Konami's dangerous!" Wisteria snarled. "That he thinks Konami's a menace to society, like he's some sort of criminal!"

"What?" Luna asked, eyes wide. "But that can't be right! I mean, you saved me! Alice, too! Mathew has to know that, right?"

"Of course he does," Enzo assured her. "It's just...a little complicated, that's all!"

"No, it's not complicated at all." Konami corrected, "Mathew's simply doing what I asked him to do; holding me accountable for the actions I'm responsible for."

"Konami..." Wisteria whined, not wanting him to go down that road again.

"But you didn't do anything!" Luna complained. "All you did was save me! it was Carly who dropped me off the building!"

"Yeah," Konami agreed, "but I was the reason she was there in the first place. It was my idea to awaken her as a Dark Signer, my idea to leave her alone despite knowing what could happen. I might not be directly responsible for what happened to you and Alice, but I am responsible for creating the person who did it."

The twins stared at sadly.

"I'm sorry," he told them, "but this time, I wasn't the hero you thought I was. All I did was clean up my own mess, and I left the city in ruins while doing it."

"But..." Luna frowned.

 _'So sad, so fragile... We could end her right now, and no one would be able to stop us...'_

Konami's eyes narrowed. Ignoring the words, he strode past Luna and crouched down to keenl beside his bed. Reaching under it, he solemnly pulled out a black sports bag and threw it onto the covers.

"Wisteria," he asked politely, "will you toss me one of my spare jackets?"

Luna and Leo blinked in surprise at the request, then felt their mouths drop as Konami opened the bag to reveal a passport and other requirements of travel.

"Hey, wait! What's all this?!" Leo gasped.

Luna also seemed quite worried at the reveal, "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah," Konami confirmed, crossing the room and opening drawers to grab extra clothes and hygiene utensils. "If I learned anything from my battle with Carly, it's that I don't know enough about this power I've awakened. In order to fix that, I'm leaving the city for a while to find out what I can."

"Oh..." Luna frowned. "When will you be coming back?"

"...Not sure," he replied. "Might be a few days. Might be longer."

"Then, can I co-"

" _No_." Konami said curtly.

Luna flinched at the forcefulness of his tone.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Leo complained, "She just wants to hang out with you!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going on this trip to have fun. Besides, Luna's a Signer, an existence that my Earthbound Immortal, Wiraqocha Rasca, absolutely despises. If I lose control for even a minute, and you're anywhere near me... No, I won't allow it. It's too dangerous! Wisteria, the jacket?"

"Here," she said, outstretching her arms to offer him the armored red coat.

Konami reached for it, only to fumble at the last second, sending the outfit crashing to the floor. Scowling, he leaned down to pick it up, only to catch a glimpse of a wide, bulging eye staring at him from the darkness beneath his bed.

 _"Kill her, Konami!"_ the eye's owner whispered. _"End her now!"_

The color drained from Konami's face. Swallowing quietly, he turned his gaze back toward the jacket and picked it up.

"Uh, you alright, dude?" Enzo asked, catching his expression as he climbed back to his feet. "You don't look so good."

"You think?" Konami asked, folding the jacket and stuffing it into the bag. "I saw it again...just now."

Wisteria and Enzo's expressions hardened, while Leo and Luna glanced between the them worriedly.

"Um, are we missing something here?" Leo questioned.

"Konami," Wisteria started warily, "You don't have to-"

"-I've been hallucinating." He told them. "Ever since I awoke from my battle with Carly. It's only been whispers so far... a mocking voice that tempts me, calling for the destruction of the Signers and anything good in this world."

"W-What?" Luna asked, bewildered.

"It hasn't done anything yet," He continued, "but who knows how long that'll last? Don't you see? This is why I need to leave the city. I need answers. I need to learn how to keep this power from consuming me whole!"

"Have you tried asking Carly for help?" Luna wondered. "I mean, you saved her too, right? You didn't disintegrate her like the last time you dueled?"

"Rest assured, she's safe and sound." Konami said, "Last I saw her, she was stuck on a bed at Domino General. Jack was with her too."

"Great!" Leo cheered, "Then you can go over there and-"

"-do what? Ask her for help? Given everything that's happened, I doubt Carly knows anything more about this power than I do. Besides, the last thing she or Jack need, much less want, is to see my wretched face right now."

"Then, what about Yusei...? Or even Akiza?!" Luna tried.

Konami shook his head, "...I've caused you Signers enough trouble for a while. This is something I've just got to do on my own."

"I don't like that plan..." Luna admitted, "We're all friends here, so we should support each other!"

"Just because you're not with me physically doesn't mean you're not supporting me," he told her. "Besides, I'm not going alone. The guy who agreed to take me is a real tough one! He might not be the nicest guy in the room, but you can bet your deck that he won't let anything bad happen to me. Even if that's just because I owe him a little too much."

"Hmph! That might be the case, but I still can't help but feel like Luna has a point!" Wisteria argued. "Didn't we just get done telling you that we're in this fight together, for better or worse? Why on earth are you already trying to push us away?"

"I'm not pushing you away," Konami sighed. "I already told you why I need you and Enzo to stay in the city-"

"-yes, I know. You're worried about Mina, but that's no excuse for you not to take Carly with you! If not her, at least bring one of the Signers along so they can have your back!" Wisteria shouted. "They've been marked by otherworldly forces just like you have, so they might be able to offer some insight on what's happening with you-!"

" _Insight? Them?_ " Konami asked. "Are you really that stupid? In case you've forgotten, the Signers were marked by a _benevolent_ force of nature. They don't have to worry about nightmares haunting their sleep, or having their free will overridden by something they can't control! What insight could they possibly offer?! None! All they'll do is berate me and worry like the rest of you are, when what I really need right now are _results!_ "

"Um," Luna started, almost afraid to get between them as she spoke. "The rest of us might not have experience with that kind of thing, but Akiza might! She used to be a part of the Arcadia Movement, remember? And Sayer had even conditioned her to act weird whenever she heard that phrase of his!"

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Leo recalled. "She was the Black Rose Witch! Sure, she was a little mean back then, but part of it was definitely because she'd spent so much time with Sayer!"

"I bet if you asked her, she'd be more than willing to give you advice on how she handled dealing with everything she'd done," Luna said.

"Akiza...?" Konami thought aloud.

His eyes closed as he toyed with the idea. It was true. Akiza had suffered a lot under the care of Sayer and the Arcadia Movement. The person she was now was nothing at all like the witch he'd met back when he first entered New Domino, but were their circumstances really that similar? It was true they were both manipulated by others, but in her case, it was mostly emotional manipulation. Sayer had preyed on her fears and insecurities to turn her into her into his loyal weapon; a Psychic Duelist who could help him take control of the city!

It wasn't at all like spiritual possession. Her nightmares most likely came from the horrors and atrocities she'd committed as the Black Rose Witch, while his were visions of a dark future; a future that plagued him even now.

It didn't make the torment she'd suffered any less terrible, but...

It just wasn't the same.

 _'And for good reason. Sayer was nothing more than a mere human playing at being God,'_ the whisper hissed. _'His might pales in comparison to our own. You proved as much when you bested him in combat not once, but twice - the second against a far greater foe!'_

Konami grimaced. For once, the whisper was right. Sayer was nothing compared to an Earthbound Immortal, and for that reason...

"Akiza can't help me," he said, eyes hazy as he shook off the whisper.

"Konami-!" Wisteria started angrily.

"That being said," he continued before she let loose, "I think I know someone who can."

Wisteria's shout died in her throat, and her lips parted ever so slightly as she reeled whatever she was about to say back in.

"Oh?" she asked finally, arms folded as she glared at him. "And who's that?"

"An old friend," Konami explained, pulling out his PDA. "I haven't talked to him for a while, but when I think of what I'm dealing with, and what he's had to put up with over the years, it's the closest thing I can think of. Besides, since Chazz is in town, it's only fitting I give this guy a call too."

He scrolled through his Contact List, then turned to step out the room.

"Excuse me for a minute."

"Hey, Konami-!" Wisteria gasped, but didn't try to stop him.

Stepping outside and closing the door behind him, Konami walked down the balcony and seated himself on the top step of the stairway. He gazed emptily into the screen of his PDA, then sighed.

"Here goes nothing..." He whispered.

He pressed Dial.

A soft hum filled the air as the call went through. Repeating vibrations echoed into the sky, releasing the familiar ringback tone as Konami waited for someone to pick up. It continued like that for a moment, until-

 _GAME ON!_

 _GET YOUR GAME ON!_

 _COME ON, YA BETTER PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT!_

 _COME ON AND GET YOUR GAME ON!_

 _"Hey there! This is Jaden Yuki! I'm unavailable right now, so leave a message and I'll get back to ya when I can! Hey wait, Pharaoh?! That toy's not meant to be eaten! Aaah!"_

There was a loud crash, followed by a long beep.

"Hey Jay," Konami said softly. "It's Konami. I'm not surprised you didn't pick up. As crazy as it sounds, you're probably busier than I am, out saving some otherworldly civilization or something, right?"

He let his words hang for a moment.

"I...I could really use your help right now. I'm not sure if you've been keeping up with the news but, some stuff has been going down here in the city. I've... I've been turned into something. Something dark, and dangerous, and I... I don't know what I'm supposed to do. When it happened, I thought it meant something. I thought I was supposed to embrace this power, use it to save the world! But when I tried, when I went all in, against the advice of everyone I talked to, I-! All I did was make everything worse. An entire part of the city's in ruins, because of a decision I made. Everyone's alive, thankfully. About the only good thing that's come of it, but...I don't know. What am I supposed to do now?"

He paused, his breath shaking as all of his thoughts spilled out at once.

"These whispers I'm hearing...they keep getting worse. It's only a matter of time until they stop being whispers, and start being something I can't ignore. If that happens, _when that happens_ , what I am supposed to do? How am I supposed to protect the people I care about, if I can't even manage to protect myself? I just...I can't keep going on like this. I have to make a change, but...I don't know how I'm supposed to do it. But I do know that if I don't...what happened to the city is only the beginning. Something even worse than what I've become is coming, and I've already lost the only thing I knew that was capable of stopping it. I...I just...!" Something wet began to spill from his eyes. He quickly rubbed them with his sleeve, wiping the stains from his face as he held back a sniffle.

"Know what? Forget it," he said, a sigh spilling from his lips as he tried to regain his composure. "I know you're a busy guy, so just...just get back to me when you can, alright? That's all I had to say. Later."

With a click, he ended the call and slid his PDA back into his pocket. He'd done all he could for now. All that was left was for him to meet up with Chazz.

"Konami-kun?" the voice of Wisteria called out to him, accompanied by the sound of his door creaking shut.

"Hey," he said, turning his head to face her sideways. "I gave him a call, but it went to voicemail. Don't worry, though! I left him a message, so..."

Whatever he was about to say was cut off as the woman knelt down and embraced him from behind.

"Konami-kun, you don't have to act tough around me," she whispered. "Tell me, how are you feeling right now? Be honest."

Konami's words died in his throat. He bowed his head, tilting his gaze downward as a soft mumble reached his lips.

"...Not so good."

"Mmm..." Wisteria agreed, rubbing his shoulders softly to console him. "...I didn't think so."

"I screwed everything up. My friendship with Mathew, the safety of the city, I even dragged Carly down with me. I mean, she threw Alice and Luna off a _building_! How is she supposed to live with that? How are they supposed to forgive her for that? I just..."

"You thought you had all the answers, and you were wrong." She answered for him, "But Konami-kun, there's nothing wrong with that. What's important is that you learn from those mistakes, so that you don't make them again."

"I know that." He said, shaking his head as she pulled herself closer. " _I know that, but_ -"

"-you're afraid?" Wisteria asked. "Of failing? Of letting everyone down?"

"Maybe," Konami shrugged. "Maybe it's just that I'm so used to coming out on top. No matter the odds, no matter the obstacle, I've always been able to win in the end, but this time, _this time_ , I saw myself die. I had to _hold_ myself as I vanished into the wind, as if I'd never even existed in the first place. And then, _and then_ , as if that wasn't bad enough, the card that let _him_ come out on top against E'Rah; the card that he put all that effort into evolving so he could show me the path I needed to take, I lost forever. Gone, shattered like the me I was supposed to become. My _one_ chance to win, my _one_ chance to stop us from following in my future self's footsteps, and I already fucked it up."

"But have you?" Wisteria inquired, "Have you really?"

She stepped around him, kneeling down on the stairs so as to speak with him face-to-face.

"So you lost Rasca Dawn Dragon, who cares?" she asked. "There are other paths to victory beyond that one card. You've proven that countless times, and you'll continue to do so going forward. It's the Duelist who wins the battle, not whatever fancy cards they might have in their deck. And you, Konami, are _my_ Duelist," Wisteria whispered, draping her arms around his neck.

"W-What?" Konami asked, confused.

His vision cracked and blurred as Wisteria smiled, but suddenly, it looked far more vicious and impertinent than before.

"I _said_ ," she whispered, her tone dripping with familiar venom that made Konami freeze, "that _there's no_ need _to cry_. Because _as_ long as _I'm with_ you... _you'll never lose a duel again._ "

And suddenly, it wasn't Wisteria in his arms, but some dark, malevolent version of her; one with pitch-black eyes, who was draped in the dark regalia of Wiraqocha Rasca.

 _"You-!"_ Konami hissed, blood draining from his face as he realized what had happened, _"You manipulative sack of-!"_

 _"I told you there is no escaping it,"_ the dark Wisteria whispered, her grip tight like iron as she straddled him. _"I am the only destiny that awaits you. There's nothing you can do but give in-"_

 _"No!"_ Konami roared, shoving the twisted manifestation off him and down the stairs.

 _"Aah!"_ Wisteria screamed as she fell, the illusion giving way to reality as she soared down the flight of steps. She landed on the concrete with a sickening crack, and laid there unmoving as Konami stared at her, horrified.

 _"WISTERIA!"_ he screamed, racing down the steps and kneeling beside her to check for a pulse.

 _"K-Konami-kun..."_ she whispered with labored breaths. _"W-Why did you...?"_

"I didn't know it was you. I didn't know it was you!" He promised, reaching down to cradle her as the sickening laugh of the shadow taunted him from behind.

 _"This is your fault,"_ it hissed. _"None of this would have ever happened, if only you'd given in and obeyed."_

"You! You...!" Konami bristled, preparing to scream at the fiend-

"Konami-kun!" the voice of Wisteria shouted from atop the stairs.

His eyes widened, and he glanced up the steps to find Wisteria and the others glancing down at him in concern.

"W-Wisteria?" he asked in surprise, glancing back down to the woman in his arms, only to find-

Nothing.

It was another illusion.

A cruel trick by Wiraqocha Rasca to try and break his spirit.

"Konami-kun," Wisteria said warily, inching down the steps. "What's going on? We heard you shouting-"

"Stay back!" he commanded, trembling as he climbed to his feet. "Don't...Don't you take a step further."

"Konami-kun-?" Wisteria asked, inching down another step.

" _I SAID DON'T MOVE!_ " Konami roared.

Wisteria flinched.

Konami panted heavily, his face flushed and sweating as he stared at the group on the stairs.

"Wisteria," he started slowly. "Tell me something only you would know! Something from before..." he glanced at his arm, and the accursed condor streaked across it. "...from before I was marked! Before we came back to New Domino City!"

"Konami-kun, what-?"

"Just do it!" Konami shouted frantically, " _Please_."

Perhaps it was the desperation in his voice, or maybe it just her own desire to please him, but...whatever the reason, Wisteria nodded softly and complied.

"We were at a hotel," she said, smiling as her hand touched down on the stairway's rail. "In Paris. It was your first time staying in such a fancy room overseas, and I remember you wanted to know if they had twenty four hour room service because we hadn't eaten anything since we got on the plane early that morning. So you called the front desk to ask if they had anyone who could bring some food up to you, but they told you that room service ended at ten o'clock, so if you wanted to get something to eat, you'd have to go down there and get it yourself. So you went to grab your jacket to do just that, but that's when I came in from the bath and said, 'Konami-kun, if you're hungry, you don't have to eat food. You can just join me in the bath and eat-"

"-Okay, stop! I...I believe you." He breathed, and then collapsed, incapable of standing any longer.

"Konami-kun?!" Wisteria shouted once more, racing down the steps to comfort him as he laid on all fours, sweating.

"I thought I had hurt you," he explained, eyes wide and frantic. "This _thing_ that's haunting me, Wiraqocha Rasca, it-it made me think I had shoved you down the stairs, and-!"

"Hey, hey...it's alright, I'm here. I'm not hurt," Wisteria promised. "Everything's okay."

"No. No, it's not. It feels like everything is closing in around me. And now it seems like I can't even tell what's real and what's not! I need to get out of here, to figure out what's happening to me and if there's a way to stop it! I'm...I'm running out of time...!"

"Then come on," she said, heaving him back to his feet. "Let's go get your bag and get you over to Chazz. The sooner you're out of the city, the sooner you think you'll be able to find answers, right? So...I'll lend you a hand until then."

"..." Konami didn't look at her.

"Enzo," Wisteria said, "can you grab Konami's bag? We're about to head over to the airport."

"Here," the man replied, having already grabbed it on their way out. "Stuffed full of everything you'd need for a long trip overseas! There's spare jackets, ballcaps, even soap and toothpaste, because you _know_ you can't trust what those hotels give you!"

"Thanks..." Konami mumbled softly as he took the sports bag and heaved it over his shoulder.

"Konami, are you sure you're gonna be alright?" Luna worried as she joined them in the lot. "You look kind of pale."

"Yeah, you look like you're about to keel over!"

"Just a little freaked out is all," Konami told them, still trying to regain his composure. "I'll be fine in a minute, promise."

He adjusted the bag's strap so that it felt more comfortable, but as he did, Enzo's eyes suddenly widened and he made to snatch Konami's wrist.

" _Dude_ ," he hissed sharply, drawing Konami's gaze. " _What's that?_ "

"Huh?"

"That," Enzo reiterated, gesturing to the jacket's wrist collar. " _There's something beeping in your sleeve!_ "

"What?" Konami asked.

He glanced downward into the sleeve Enzo spoke of, only for his eyes to widen in surprise. For there, hidden within the folds of his jacket, was a small, glowing device.

 _ **-TF2-**_

"It's a tracker," Enzo said to the group, studying the device within the confines of Konami's apartment. "The kind Sector Security uses. Looks like someone wanted to keep tabs on the good ol' Red Hat."

"Mina," Konami realized with a frown. "Lazar had her get my jacket for me when Chazz came to pick me up. She knew he didn't want her following me, but she must've snuck one in there anyway so that she could hunt me down on her own time!"

"Didn't think she had it in her," Wisteria huffed. "So, what do we do about it?"

"Depends, is she following us right now...or did she just put it on so she could deal with you at a later time?" Enzo inquired. He glanced toward the windows. "Think you could look outside? See if there's any shady vehicles pulled out in the parking lot?"

"Sure," Konami agreed, leaning onto the wall beside his window and peeking through it from the corner. "Doesn't look like I...I don't see anything too strange."

"I do," Leo said eagerly from the other window. "It's Trudge! He's eating a donut!"

"Trudge?" Konami inquired, walking over to the window and peering through the blinds.

"The black sedan, on the left!" Leo pointed.

Konami's eyes cast themselves where Leo had directed, and sure enough, his words rang true. There was a black sedan seated in the parking lot, and behind its wheel, just barely visible through the window's tinted glass - was a munching Tetsu Trudge.

" _How did we miss him?!_ " Konami hissed angrily, furious that it was _Trudge_ of all people who had followed them.

"We were a little preoccupied," Wisteria suggested, "and it wasn't like we knew we were being followed."

"Tsk...! Couldn't even follow me herself, huh? Had to send _him_ after me."

"Trudge always did have it out for you," Wisteria explained, "and the incident with Carly must've given him just the excuse he needed to use that itch to get in good with Mina."

"Well, if he's the one following us then this'll be easier than I thought," he replied, rolling his shoulders and adjusting his Duel Disk. "I'll go beat him real quick and be right back-"

"-hold on, that might not be the best way to go about this." Enzo said. "I mean, sure they're tracking you, but that doesn't mean they'll actually do anything, does it?"

"No, they'll definitely act." Konami told him. "Mina told me herself...she wanted me kept in the city in case she had any... _questions_."

"And those questions are undoubtedly ones you don't want her learning the answers to," Wisteria realized. "So if we leave this tracker with you, and she happens to realize you're leaving the city..."

"She'll do everything in her power to stop me," he confirmed.

"But Chazz said he wants you on that plane by the end of the hour or they're leaving without you, right? If you waste time here dueling Trudge or Mina, then you might not have time to get there. It'll be bye-bye Tag Duel, and bye-bye Nazca!"

"Well, you got any better ideas?"

"Well, now that you mention it..." Enzo grinned, "they've only been able to follow us because of the tracker, right? So, why don't I just wear it for you, and head the other direction while you head over to the airport no problem?"

Konami's eyes widened, "You want to play decoy?"

"Yeah," Enzo said, rising from his seat and stepping toward Konami's closet. "And I bet I could pull it off, too! I mean, just look at me!"

He grabbed one of Konami's spare jackets and hats, then swung them onto his body and turned to show himself off.

"I look just like you like this, don't I?"

"Whoa!" Leo clapped.

"It's not that impressive!" Luna chastised.

"But it will fool them from a distance," Wisteria admitted. She cast her gaze to Konami, "It could work."

"I'm not sure I like the idea of you putting up with Trudge, especially since there's no telling what he'll do once he realizes you played him, but..." Konami sighed, "you're right about me needing to keep my appointments. Alright, we'll do it your way."

He pulled Chazz's car keys out of his pocket and tossed them toward Enzo.

"Here, the keys to the Prius. You'll need to drive the same car in case they followed us from Chazz's, so I'll have to find some other way to get to the airport."

"You can take Bessie!" Enzo offered, tossing Konami the keys to his own ride in exchange. "She might not be as fast as your old Duel Runner, but she can still rev it up, no problem!"

"Mm," Konami accepted, snatching the keys out the air. "Then it's settled. You should go ahead and drop the twins back at their hotel."

"Huh?!"

"But why?!"

"Because you two shouldn't be staying in an apartment with a busted door in the first place," Konami said. "If for whatever reason your hotel isn't available when you get down there, you can stay with Wisteria or Enzo for a while if Yusei or the others don't offer to take you in. Just...don't risk staying in a place where anyone can come and go as they please."

"Hm, you should take your own advice." Wisteria retorted. "I don't how many times I've offered, but - now's not the time. I'll go with Enzo and the twins, to really sell the illusion. Trudge knows we've been spending more time together lately, so..."

"...Yeah, that'd probably be for the best."

"Then if everything goes well, this will be the last time we see each other for a while," Wisteria said with a sad smile. "Are you sure you don't want any of us to go with you?"

"Not this time." Konami replied. "Not while I'm in this condition."

Wisteria frowned, wanting to argue, but...she didn't. She knew that Konami was only doing what he thought was right, and while she didn't exactly like the idea of her beloved being stuck with the irritable Chazz Princeton for any extended period of time, she at least knew that he'd be capable of helping Konami if he needed him to. So...

"Alright," she decided, accepting his condition. "But, at least let me give you something before we leave."

She reached into her deck holster, pulled out a stack of cards, and began skimming through them elegantly. After a moment, she must have found the one she desired, for she drew it out of the pile and slid the rest back into the holster. She studied its form for a moment, then extended it out toward Konami with a blush.

"A card?" Konami inquired.

"It was something I was thinking about while you were unconscious," Wisteria explained. "I know that Rasca Dawn Dragon had been destroyed, and that new monster of yours isn't exactly the easiest to summon, so I wanted to help you. It's just like you said. Even if I can't be there with you physically, I want you to know that I am supporting you mentally, and emotionally as well! That's why...I want you to take this card of mine with you. It might not be as good as Rasca Dawn Dragon, or even as good as that new Rank 10 you made, but...it's proof that my heart belongs to you, so I want you to take care of it!"

"Alright," Konami said, accepting the card gratefully. "Thanks."

"Y-You're welcome." Wisteria said, averting her eyes from Konami. "B-But don't get the wrong idea! It's not like that card is from any of my Ritual decks or anything. I know you don't really use those type of monsters that much...so I decided to give you one that I used myself while we were... _overseas_."

Understanding what she really meant, Konami glanced down and studied the card's exquisite artwork. His eyes widened upon noticing the border's silver gleam.

"A Synchro monster?" he asked Wisteria.

"Yes, and it reminds me of you, actually." Wisteria revealed, "Just like you, this monster always charges ahead, doing whatever it takes to get rid of the obstacles in front of it, even if doing so means putting itself at risk."

"Wisteria..."

"Use this card," she told him gently, "Let it support you just as I would in your time of need. I don't know if it will serve you as a good ace or not, but..."

Konami frowned, staring at the card again. Her words rang true. Given its summon condition, it wouldn't exactly be the easiest card to summon in his Gemini deck, but it was still flexible enough that it could be used quite well if he gave his deck a little tinkering. It was something he needed to do anyway, since the center piece of his deck no longer existed.

"...It'll make a great ace," he replied, smiling as he laid a hand upon her shoulder. "Wisteria, thank you."

"Y-Yes."

"Hate to interrupt your little moment, but you two done yet?" Enzo asked with a frown. "We really need to get going if you're gonna get to the plane in time."

"Right," Konami said, eyes hardening as he slid Wisteria's card into a sleeve. "You guys go on ahead. I'll wait for Trudge to follow you and then head out on Enzo's bike."

"This is it, then." Wisteria breathed. She stepped close and gave Konami a tight hug. "Be careful. Stay safe."

"You too," he replied, returning the gesture before kneeling to speak with the twins.

"You're really going, huh?" Luna asked wearily. "You sure we can't change your mind?"

"Nah, this is something I've gotta do." Konami said, "Besides, it's just for a little while. I'll be back before you know it, and I'll have all sorts of new stories to tell you."

"...'kay," Luna agreed, nodding shyly.

"Aw, don't be such a stick in the mud, sis!" Leo said, "Konami will be fine! He's almost as strong as Yusei, remember?!"

"Almost?!" Konami mock-complained. "I bet I could take him!"

"Could not! He's could've beat Jack at the Fortune Cup, you didn't even make it to the Finals, duh!"

"Didn't stop me from beating Jack earlier though, did it?" Konami grinned.

"Urgh, oh yeah, I forgot about that!" Leo complained.

"Feh, of course you did, 'cause you've still got a lot to learn, kiddo!" he said, flicking Leo's nose and sending the boy into a panic. "Heh, take care of your sister, squirt. And Luna, make sure Leo stays out of trouble."

"Okay," Luna agreed with a smile.

"Hey, why do you think I'm the one who's gonna get into trouble?!" Leo complained.

"Just a feeling," Konami smirked, climbing back to his feet.

"Alright, it's time." Enzo said, "Here's hoping I don't get thrown in the Facility for this."

"If they give you trouble, just tell them I put you up to it." Konami told him, "They'll cut you some slack if they think I forced you into it."

"I'll keep that in mind, but I'm not gonna sell you out so easily!" Enzo replied.

The two Red Hats stood face-to-face, then shook each other's hands.

"Stay safe out there, bro! Go find whatever answers you're looking for, and use them to beat this Dark Signer thing!"

"I will," Konami promised. "Take care of everyone while I'm gone. Now that Mathew's not around, you guys will have to coordinate with each other more than ever."

"Yeah..." Enzo agreed. "...Do you think there's any chance he might come back?"

"...Maybe, but sitting here wondering about it won't do us any good. We have our problems to deal with and he has his. We'll meet again someday, and if we're lucky, it'll be as old friends. Until then, let's stay focused on the path ahead. Let's get me out of the city, then you can worry about Mathew all you like."

"Alright," Enzo said with a nod. "Alright, I can do this. I'm the Red Hat. _I'm_ the Red Hat. _I'm the Red Hat!_ "

"Don't," Konami said, shaking his head. "Don't get too into it. You're not dueling anyone, just a simple distraction run. Keep 'em busy until I can get back over to Chazz. There's no need to go and do anything fancy, alright?"

"Right, right. I knew that." Enzo said, but he couldn't hide the disappointment he felt from the words.

"Alright," Konami said, running his gaze over the group. "You guys ready?"

They nodded back at him.

"Then let's do it. _Operation: Sidetracked..._ " he said, sweeping an arm outward, "...begins now!"

 _ **-TF2-**_

Enzo and the others had left the apartment without incident. Sticking to the plan, Konami waited an additional five minutes after watching Trudge pull out after them. He glanced at his PDA as he sat at his desk, having just finished putting the final touches on his upgraded deck.

 _'Everything going well?'_ he texted to Wisteria.

 _'Just pulled into the Downtown District,'_ she replied a moment later. _'Trudge is still following us. You're good to go!'_

"Alright," he said aloud, rising from the chair to do just that.

Gathering his deck and PDA, he threw his bag over his shoulder and turned to step outside. Stopping at the door, he glanced over his apartment room, knowing it would be the last time he'd see it for a while.

There was the bed, where he often found himself waking after long and wild nights on the town. There was his poster of Jack Atlas, hung up before he'd actually met the man; and still hung due to Konami's own laziness and lack of time. The windowsill housed his collectable Duel Monsters figures he'd spent hours examining with Rathie, the Card Shop owner who lived downtown. And there, on his desk, lay the computer, always ready to help him search for anything in the world; be it card games or-

"Alright, that's enough reminiscing." Konami interrupted, shaking his head. He took one last deep breath, then stepped outside.

There was no one in sight as he descended the steps. Most of the residents were either out of town or at work, dealing with the catastrophic damage wrought from Konami's own actions. Only Bessie sat in the parking lot, ready and willing to aid Konami in his quest to outmaneuver Sector Security and leave town.

Fishing Enzo's keys out of his pocket, Konami pushed the unlock button and smiled as the old Duel Runner chirped a reply. After depositing his bag safely into the Runner's rear compartment, he climbed aboard and slid the keys into the ignition.

As he cranked the engine, Bessie roared to life, releasing a hot cloud of smoke from its exhaust as numbers and symbols ran across its computer screen. Finally, the all green signal flashed on the display, and Konami took hold of the controls.

He revved the engine sharply, testing its ferocity before burning a donut into the parking lot and taking off out into the streets.

He cut through construction, making use of the Runner's small frame to weave between lanes and cut through small alleys. He thought he was doing rather well all things considered. He still had a good twenty minutes before Chazz wanted him on-site, and based on his calculations, it'd only take fifteen to get there if he jumped onto the highway and rode it down south.

So he did.

And that was when it all went wrong.

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN!_

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN!_

 _KONAMI-KUN KONAMI-KUN!_

"Hello, this is Konami-kun," Konami greeted.

 _"Something's wrong!"_ Wisteria's shout rang through his ear. _"I think they know something's up! Trudge just took off all of a sudden after getting a call!"_

"What?!" Konami hissed, "When?!"

 _"Just now! Enzo and I are trailing him, it looks like he's heading south on the highway!"_

"South? That can't be a coincidence. _I_ just jumped on the South Highway!"

 _"Trudge was alone while he was following us, you don't think he had Mina there with him too, do you? If they were in different cars, they might have noticed something was up when they only saw four of leaving the apartment!'_

"Tsk...!"

Wisteria's suspicions were soon proven correct, for as soon as she'd offered her thoughts, a blaring siren lit up behind ol' Bessie.

 _"KONAMI KODO!"_ the unmistakable voice of Mikage Simington roared from the megaphone of a Sector Security cruiser, _"PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY!"_

"Gotta go," Konami told Wisteria.

 _"Konami, wait-!"_

He pushed the disconnect button on the dashboard, then glanced into the sidemirror to spot Mina's cruiser pulling up on his fast from behind. Cursing, he tightened his grip on the controls, pushing his speed while continuing to race between lanes.

Mina swerved and zoomed after him, her siren blaring louder and louder as the vehicle drew closer to Konami's own.

 _"I SAID PULL OVER!"_ she repeated through the megaphone.

"I thought Lazar told you to back off?!" he shot back.

 _"AND I THOUGHT I SAID TO STAY IN THE CITY IN CASE I HAD MORE QUESTIONS?!"_

"Who said I was leaving?" Konami inquired.

 _"YOU DID,"_ Mina retorted, _"AFTER DRIVING PAST THE LAST EXIT THAT LEADS BACK TO NEW DOMINO. THE ONLY THING LEFT DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE CITY LIMITS IS THE TURN TO THE AIRPORT, AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF I LET YOU FLY OUT OF HERE WITHOUT GIVING ME ANY ANSWERS!"_

"Tsk...! Alright, you caught me!" Konami replied. "But just because you figured me out doesn't mean I've got to go along with you! I know you and Trudge are acting on your own, which means that right now, any authority you think you might have as Sector Security Agents is moot! I have my reasons for leaving the city, and as far as I'm concerned, you have no reason to stop me! So back off, before I call up Lazar and have him put you on probation!"

 _"THE SECRETS YOUR HIDING REGARDING NEW THREATS TO THE CITY ARE ALL THE REASON I NEED!"_ Mina roared.

She pushed a button from the inside of her vehicle, retracting the cruiser's hood and merging its back wheels. Konami watched wide-eyed as the cruiser's shape shifted and changed, transforming from a typical Security Cruiser into a three-wheel Duel Runner akin to those popular 'Slingshot' vehicles.

"Neat trick," Konami glowered. "What's this? A new prototype?"

"That's classified!" Mina said. "Just like the information on you, apparently."

Her lips tensed. "I may not know what deal you made to keep Lazar off your back, but until I get some answers, you're not getting out of here! Who were you dueling in the city? Why were you dueling them? And what does it all have to do with that vision of Goodwin I saw earlier?!"

Konami grimaced, but shook his head at her requests.

"Ordinarily," he said, "I'd be impressed by your stubbornness, but now's not the time for this! Trust me, I'll tell everything you want to know, but only when it's safe to do so!"

"When it's safe...?" Mina wondered. "What's that supposed to mean? Is there another threat coming? Is that why you're trying to leave the city?!"

 _"Yes, do tell her, Konami,"_ the whisper breathed. _"Tell her all of our dark and dreadful secrets. Remind her of the things she's done...of the things_ you'll _do."_

"No!" Konami shouted, shaking his head.

"Then what is it?!" Mina roared, thinking he'd responded to her. "Tell me something, otherwise-"

"-You just have to trust me!"

"If you want me to trust you, then you need to trust me!" Mina replied. "Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll leave me no choice!"

"No choice but to do what?"

" _This!"_ Mina hissed, and she pressed another button.

 _ **SPEED WORLD - ACTIVATED**_

"What?!" Konami gasped, glancing at the words streaked across Bessie's onboard computer.

"Forgot we had these, did you?" Mina asked. "Sector Security vehicles are capable of forcing a duel upon any Duel Runner located in New Domino City! Do you know what that means, Konami?"

"...ugh!"

"Yes," Mina agreed, her eyes lit with firm determination. "It means that unless you beat me in a duel, you won't be stopping at the airport anytime soon! This time, you won't get away! I'll beat you here, and stall your engine so that you'll have no choice _but_ to answer my questions!"

Konami's grip tightened on the controls.

A duel?

 _Now?_

 _"Do it,"_ the dark whisper purred in his ear. _"Beat her down, crush her completely! Awaken her as our minion, increase our ranks once more!"_

"Damn it," Konami cursed.

He'd been so close!

But now he didn't have a choice!

He had to beat Mina, and he had to do it before he reached the airport! Otherwise, any chance he had of leaving the city to find answers would be lost!

"You're on!" he roared fiercely. "But remember, _officer_ , _you wanted this!_ "

The two Duel Runners sped side-by-side as the highway registered their ensuing battle. Raising a divider to separate them from local traffic, it lit up the road so that it could serve as a makeshift racetrack. Devoid of any obstacles, it made for the perfect scene for a Turbo Duel; the perfect highway, where they were free to battle to their heart's content!

 _'Fifteen minutes until the plane leaves...'_ Konami thought with a grimace. _'That means I only have fifteen minutes to beat Mina and escape!'_

He only had one shot at this. If he failed, if Mina somehow beat him...!

 _"We can do it,"_ the whisper purred in his ear. _"We can crush her!"_

"Tsk...! _Grr..._ " Konami growled. "Damn it all, let's get this over with! Are you ready, Mina?!"

"Are you?" she asked, her firm glare meeting his own.

"Fine then," he snarled. "Let's do this!"

He kicked Bessie into overdrive, and their first Turbo Duel began.

* * *

 _ **Chapter Thirteen - END**_

* * *

 _"The First Turn is mine, Konami!"_

 _Caught in a battle against Mina's high-spec Duel Runner, Konami finds himself losing the right to draw first. Holding onto the advantage as hard as she can, Mina unleashes her mighty Steelswarm forces to force Konami into a corner. Realizing his regular Geminis just won't cut it, Konami decides to release the full power of his upgraded deck. The card he summons is...!_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Konami VS Mina! Race to the Ace!**_

 _"Seize the Moment, my brave new monster!"_

* * *

 ** _What do you think? Let me know, down below!_**


	14. Konami VS Mina! Race to the Ace!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"I... I don't know what I'm supposed to do."_

 _As the hallucinations of Wiraqocha Rasca grow stronger by the second, Konami makes the decision to leave New Domino to seek answers in the Nazca Region! However, before he can walk the desert plains, he must first perform a favor for his old classmate, Chazz!_

 _"...There is one thing you can do for me. I'm supposed to be in Naples tomorrow for a big promotion. Nothing too difficult, just a Tag Duel for some TV show or something."_

 _Indeed! To secure Chazz's help in procuring a flight to Nazca, Konami must first participate in a Tag Duel in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy! He heads home to pack his bags, but there, a sudden revelation makes itself known!_

 _"A tracker! The kind Sector Security uses. Looks like someone wanted to keep tabs on the good ol' Red Hat."_

 _What a surprise! Stubbornly seeking answers that she absolutely mustn't know, Mina Simington of Sector Security laid a stunning trap for the Red Hat! Approaching him as he speeds toward the airport, she forces him into a Turbo Duel intent on learning the truth behind the destruction of the Downtown District!_

 _What will come of their high-speed collision? Prepare to find out!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Fourteen**_

* * *

 _ **Konami Vs Mina! Race to the Ace!**_

* * *

Two Duel Runners sped down the busy highway. The bright sun lit their path, casting its noontide rays upon the streets as they raced down the empty lane, neck-to-neck.

Upon them sat two Duelists, each opposing the other as they sought out their desires.

Konami, aboard Enzo's Beloved Bessie, charging full-speed ahead to the airport.

Mina, aboard Sector Security's latest prototype, seeking the answers she felt she deserved!

Only one could win their Duel. Only one could claim victory by denying the other. Only one...

...could be First!

Mina's Duel Runner sped past the blinking highway marker, grinning as her Duel Runner - the Slingshot - registered the act as a determining factor for their Duel.

"Looks like I'm going first, Konami!" she declared fiercely. "Just you wait and see, I'll get those answers from you, no matter what!"

"...Tsk!" Konami spat, eyes narrowing behind his Turbo Helmet. "Don't get cocky! It's only natural you won the race, your vehicle's specs outmatch this hunk of junk's by a long shot!"

"You're right, they do." Mina confirmed, "You see, this vehicle was built for the sole purpose of tracking down and defeating Turbo Duelists who don't adhere to New Domino's policies! With a quad turbocharged W16 engine, this baby can go from zero to a hundred in less than ten seconds! In other words, it's far superior to even some of the latest Duel Runners on the market! That little trash heap you're riding just doesn't compare! Which means...that this vehicle is the perfect weapon to use when going up against someone like you!"

"We'll see about that! Your Duel Runner's equipment might be high-end, but there's more than a vehicle's specs to consider when it comes to a Turbo Duel! The Duelist's own ability matters as well! So you're gonna have to put your money where your mouth is if you want those answers, Mina, because unless you take me down by force, there's no way I'm telling you anything!"

"I figured you'd say that," she replied, "but I have to disagree with you on one point. This Runner's tech _will_ help me win this Duel, and you'll see why very soon! Now, I won the race, didn't I? That means I'm going first! So, once again..."

 _ **"LET'S DUEL!"**_

 _ **KONAMI VS MINA**_

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MINA - 4000 LP**_

"It's my Turn!" Mina shouted, her Duel Runner picking up even more speed as she pressed down on the gas pedal. "I draw!"

 _ **TURN ONE - MINA - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP - 1000 SPC**_

Konami's eyes bulged in disbelief. Shaking his head, as if attempting to dispel some illusion, he glanced down at Bessie's display in shock and horror.

"One Thousand Speed Counters?! But I thought the max that could go on Speed World is twelve? What sort of trickery is this?! I didn't take you for a cheater, Simington!"

"It's not cheating!" Mina retorted. "As it just so happens, Lazar finally pushed through some paperwork I filed a few months ago! It was something I thought of to help give Sector Security Agents a little bit of help when engaging in Turbo Duels with rowdy criminals who refuse to obey commands!"

"Criminals?" Konami inquired. "Is that what I am now? Just another lowlife of the city?"

"You're withholding information regarding the destruction of an entire district in the city! It's fortunate that no one was seriously injured in the devastation, a miracle - in fact, but that doesn't change the fact that you're impeding my investigation! You may or may not be directly responsible for these events...which is why, until I've determined exactly what you know and what it means, yes - you _are_ a criminal, Konami Kodo! So I'll ask you once more to pull over and answer my questions!"

"I refuse!" Konami roared. "Not only because I have my own problems to deal with, but because I know for a fact that Lazar told you to drop this investigation as well! All it'd take is one call from me to put an end to this plot of yours, and then where will you be? Back in evidence, filing paperwork? Get out of my way, Mina! This is your last warning!"

"Now _I'm_ the one who has to refuse!" she stated. "Call Lazar if you wish, but I know that while I may not be the person he wants to hear it from, he's just as desperate for answers as I am! If I manage to bring back enough information to determine exactly what went down last night, then he won't care what I had to do to get it! That's just the kind of person he is."

Konami grimaced, knowing she was right. Lazar would let Mina's actions slide if it meant he got the information that much earlier. Hell, Konami wouldn't be surprised if he was watching their Duel right now!

"Now then, since neither of us are surrendering, it's my move!" Mina said. "So I'll summon my Steelswarm Caller in Attack Position!"

The roar of a thousand flies filled the air as a sinister black streak materialized above Mina's Duel Runner. Screeching vibrations stretched out across the highway, giving way to a single loud hum that was followed by the fracture of the very air itself. The black streak above Mina's Duel Runner cracked like glass, then gave way to reveal a flowing portal to the abyss through which her monster could climb.

And climb it did.

Like something out of a horror movie, the overgrown fly crawled out from the hole on all fours, then stood upon the floating portal and air as if it were seated on a solid wall. It stretched its dark orange wings outward, fluttering them quickly to test their readiness and prepare them for battle. Once it was done, it took flight, abandoning its post by the portal to hover by Mina's side. The portal vanished as soon as the Caller leapt away, returning to the void and leaving only its denizen behind.

 _Steelswarm Caller - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1700/0)_

"Steelswarms..." Konami muttered to himself. "So just like Carly, her Dark Signer Deck remained with her too, huh?"

 _'Of course it did,'_ the Shadow hissed eagerly into his ear. _'When you're marked by the Shadows, you're marked for life, remember? No amount of meditation or purification will let you escape this destiny...and the same rings true for her! Now, give in to yourself and obliterate this woman, so that she may once again take her place among our ranks! It's time the Dark Signers started recruiting...and she's a worthy prospect.'_

"Shut up," Konami glowered, shaking his head. "Nobody's recruiting anyone right now...!"

 _'Is that what you think? Oh, what a fool you are...'_

"Next," Mina said, drawing Konami's attention back to her, "I'll pay five of my Speed Counters to activate a Speed Spell!"

"Pay, she says..." Konami grumbled, "As if it'll actually matter what a thousand Speed Counters!"

Nonetheless, Mina did pay. Frowning as her Duel Runner slowed ever so slightly as it rode ahead of Konami, Mina watched as five of the counters on her copy of Speed World disappeared. That done, she slid her chosen Speed Spell into the Spell Zone, and watched as a copy of the card appeared on her side of the field.

"I activate the Speed Spell - Card Advance!" she explained. "This card lets me check the top five cards of my Deck and rearrange them in any order I please! Then, I can Tribute Summon a monster in additional to the one Normal Summon I get each Turn!"

"You get to prepare for your next five Turns while also getting a second summon?!"

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Mina asked, hastily rearranging her top five cards and sliding them back onto her Deck. "Rest assured, however, it's not the future Turns I'm looking to! After all, the real reason I used Card Advance...was this!"

She grabbed a card from her Hand and held it in her grip as she reached for her face-up monster.

"I Tribute my Steelswarm Caller to summon a different monster," she explained. "Please, give a warm welcome to my Level Five ally, the Steelswarm Mantis!"

Steelswarm Caller shrieked as its body suddenly rippled and convulsed. From its center, a swirling sphere of darkness suddenly emerged, absorbing the critter inward as it prepared to call forth a new servant of evil. Growing until a creature twice Mina's size could easily crawl through it, the portal hummed with a demonic buzz that scratched at Konami's ears.

Piece by wretched piece, the sharp and bladed pincers of an overgrown black mantis crawled their way out of the abyss. Attached to the two appendages was the body of Mina's new monster. Like the pincers themselves, much of the creature's exoskeleton was colored with a dark grey sheen. Only the blue hue of its inner chest and waist were off-color, exposing its innards even as a long black tail lashed about wildly to protect it. A pair of dark bug-like wings spread downward from the fiend's back, but they sat unmoving, doing nothing at all even as the monster hovered by Mina's side.

 _Steelswarm Mantis - LV5 - DARK - (2200/0)_

"Busting out your big guns already?" Konami inquired. "If that's how you're gonna play it, don't expect me to go easy on you."

"I don't need you to," MIna replied, "because I'm activating my Steelswarm Caller's effect! Since it was sent to the Graveyard for the Tribute Summon of a "Steelswarm" monster, I'm allowed to Special Summon a Lever Four or lower "Steelswarm" monster from my Deck!"

"From your Deck? But won't that mean you'll undo all the work you did putting those five cards in order?" Konami asked. "You'll have to reshuffle once you Special Summon, you know that right?!"

"Of course I do," Mina replied, insulted that he'd think otherwise, "and like I said before, the only reason I used Card Advance in the first place was for the extra Tribute Summon! Now, if you're done criticizing my dueling, I'm summoning my monster! Come forth - _Steelswarm Sting!_ "

A third portal fractured the sky, beckoning the arrival of yet another Steelswarm. A dark, beady-eyed creature clawed its way out of the nightmare gate, emerging from the sphere much like Caller had only to stretch two pairs of small, high-paced wings. Gazing out into the world through its pair of compound eyes, the creature buzzed meanly before raising its abdominal structure threateningly. A razor-sharp point sat dangerously upon its tip, ready to be used to any point to destroy all who stood against the creature and its master. There was only no question of if, in the beast's mind.

Just a matter of when.

 _Steelswarm Sting - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1850/0)_

"A second monster..."

"And I'm not done yet," Mina continued, "because now I'm activating the effect of my Steelswarm Mantis! Since it was Tribute Summoned through the sacrifice of a "Steelswarm" monster, I can pay one thousand Life Points to revive a Steelswarm from my Graveyard! So now, just as I took its life to further my own goals, so too shall I pay my own to further its! I pay one thousand Life Points to bring back my Steelswarm Caller!"

 _ **KONAMI-4000 LP  
MINA - 3000 LP**_

The red-eyed Mantis hissed as it swung its pincers wantonly through the air, cleaving an X into the sky through which the Netherworld could once again be reached. Golden light poured forth, and then, the sigil cracked, revealing another accursed black hole.

The long, slender hand of Steelswarm Crawler quickly emerged from it, and the rest of the fly soon followed, eager to join its allies on the field.

 _Steelswarm Caller - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1700/0)_

"Now that my field has been assembled, I'll place one card face-down and end my Turn."

"Three monsters in one move, huh? You really aren't pulling any punches," Konami said. "However, now it's my Turn, and you're about to find out just how big the difference between us really is!"

He pressed down on the gas, increasing Bessie's speed as it trailed behind Mina's incredibly high-spec'd Slingshot.

"I...draw!"

 **TURN TWO - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP - 2 SPC**

"First things first, I'll summon my Dark Valkyria in Attack Mode!" Konami shouted, placing one of his signature cards onto Bessie's Duel Board.

A small bundle of clouds gathered beside Konami's ride after he did. Dark and rumbling, they shot a single bolt of lightning down onto the field, where it crashed into the concrete with a thunderous boom. A blinding flash accompanied the occurrence, and as the light faded, the white-winged fairy was revealed to have landed!

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)_

"Next," Konami continued, "I'll slow down a little by paying my two Speed Counters so I can activate this; the Speed Spell - Supervise!"

He slid the card into the Spell Zone, then watched as its hologram appeared behind where Dark Valkyria stood.

"Supervise?" Mina asked. "What's that do? Teach you how to manage your betters better?"

"Very funny, but no. Supervise is an Equip Spell that I can attach to a Gemini monster I control. See, unlike ordinary Effect monsters, Gemini monsters are treated as Normal monsters when they first appear on the field! Normally, I'd have to Normal Summon them twice to let them activate their effects, but Supervise let's me skip that process! When I equip it to a Gemini monster, that monster gets to use its effects as if it was Gemini Summoned! And that's not all, because when Supervise leaves the field, I can Special Summon a Normal monster from my Graveyard as a parting gift!"

"A card with two effects?"

"That's right, but instead of worrying about that, you should be focused on my Dark Valkyria's own special ability!" Konami warned. "See, now that Supervise has activated her Gemini State, she gains a Spell Counter that will increase her Attack Points by three hundred!"

 _"Hahahahahaha!"_ Dark Valkyria laughed, reveling in her power as a crimson aura dyed her wings and armor black.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (2100/1050)_

"Twenty one hundred?!" Mina winced. "Ugh!"

"You're about to be saying a lot more than "Ugh!" in a minute," Konami taunted. "Because now, it's the Battle Phase! Go, Dark Valkyria! Destroy her Steelswarm Caller!"

 _"Very well!"_ the dark maiden complied, stretching her pitch-black wings as she soared toward her opponent.

The overgrown fly snarled as it saw her approach. Quickly buzzing its own wings, it too took flight, intending to find a way to defeat the witch despite their difference in power. Stretching out its clawed hand, Steelswarm Caller reared the makeshift weapon back in preparation to strike-

-only to realize the appendage had already been severed from its body entirely. Dark Valkyria had struck, using her superior speed and mobility to cleave the monster apart with the blades upon her gauntlets. Steelswarm Caller looked back at its falling arm in disbelief, only to explode into golden light a moment later; a result of Dark Valkyria's thousand strikes.

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MINA - 2600 LP**_

" _Ugh!_ " Mina hissed, wincing as her Duel Runner shuddered from the explosion that lowered her Life Points. "That's smarts...!"

"And it's about to get even smarter," Konami said, "because now I'm activating Dark Valkyria's effect!"

"It wasn't the attack boost?!" Mina gasped.

 _"_ That's only one aspect of my monster's power!" Konami told her. "My Dark Valkyria can use Spell Counters for more than just powering herself up! By removing the one she gained upon being Gemini Summoned, she can target one monster on the field and destroy it!"

"What?!"

"Now, Dark Valkyria," Konami commanded with a flourish of his hand. "Destroy her Steelswarm Mantis!"

 _"HA!"_ Dark Valkyria roared, intending to do just that as she fired a crimson bolt of energy from the palms of her hand.

Surging across the highway with destructive power, the crimson bolt smashed into Mina's Steelswarm Mantis, prompting the fiend to cry out in pain. Using its pincers to try and block the assault, it attempted to withstand the assault, but it knew wouldn't last long. It needed help, and Mina was prepared to give it!

"Not so fast, Red Hat!" she shouted, quickly flipping over the card in her Spell Zone. "I've got a face-down card, the Quick Play Speed Spell - _First Step to Infestation!_ "

The card's hologram materialized behind Steelswarm Mantis as Mina spoke.

"By paying two Speed Counters, I can use this card to return one Tribute Summoned "Steelswarm" monster from my field to my hand!" She explained, "Then, I get to draw one card from my Deck. So I'll save my Steelswarm Mantis from your destruction effect, and get rewarded for my efforts!"

She pulled Steelswarm Mantis' card from her Field, prompting the monster to scream in relief before it suddenly vanished. The crimson bolt streaked past Mina's Slingshot as a result, just barely missing it as its blue-haired rider drew a card.

"And don't forget," she reminded Konami after doing so, "since you removed a Spell Counter to activate that effect, that means your Dark Valkyria's Attack Points return to normal as well!"

The wicked fairy clucked her tongue in annoyance upon remembering that fact, and after glaring at Mina for daring to oppose her, she returned to her place by Konami's side.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)_

"Hm, so you managed to dodge it." Konami murmured, "Guess I'll have to go further next time. I'll set one card face-down and end my Turn!"

"Then it's my move!" Mina replied, "I draw!"

 **TURN THREE - MINA - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 2600 LP - 995 SPC**

She glanced at her drawn card with a smile, then turned to Konami and parted her lips.

"You said you'd show me the difference between us, and now it's time I did the same! I pay ten of my Sector Security Speed Counters to activate the Speed Spell - _Monster Reborn!_ " she shouted. "This card lets me Special Summon a monster from the Graveyard, and right now, there's only one to choose! Come on back, Steelswarm Caller!"

A deadly hissing filled the air as a swirling pool of black fluid rode across the ground beside Mina. It grew larger and larger as the seconds passed, until finally, a treacherous scream echoed across the highway! The filthy, overgrown fly erupted from the pool as the howls of the dead trailed behind it, wanting to claim it as their own. Before they could reach it, however, the pool snapped shut, cutting the dead off from the world of the living entirely. Safe once more, Steelswarm Caller panted softly, then buzzed its wings to serve Simington once more!

 _Steelswarm Caller - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1700/0)_

"Sorry," Mina apologized, "but you won't be sticking around for long."

Caller cast its gaze toward her knowingly.

"I only brought you back so I could Tribute you to bring back my Steelswarm Mantis!" She explained, doing just that as she placed the stronger card back on the Monster Zone.

Caller shrieked as a swirling sphere absorbed it from the inside-out yet again. The portal then spread outward, growing in size and length to serve as a gateway through Mantis could crawl forth! The blue-bellied demon did just that moments later, returning to the field with a treacherous, red-eyed snarl.

 _Steelswarm Mantis - LV5 - DARK - Fiend - (2200/0)_

"And since you Tributed Caller again, I'm assuming its effect activates?" Konami asked from behind her.

"That's right," Mina confirmed with a narrow glare. "Since it was used as Tribute for a "Steelswarm" monster, I can bring out a "Steelswarm" from my Deck! So come on out, Steelswarm Gatekeeper!"

A second portal appeared just as Mantis' snapped shut. Emerging with a sickly green light, an overgrown pupa crawled out from the abyss on all fours. Gazing out into the world through its hard, spiky shell, it knelt down, preparing for the combat it knew would soon come.

 _Steelswarm Gatekeeper - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1500/1900)_

Once the beast was settled, the portal of darkness snapped shut behind it, once again leaving Mina with three monsters she could use freely. Unlike before, however, this time...she could attack.

"Battle!" She said immediately, intending to do just that. "Steelswarm Sting, attack Dark Valkyria!"

 _"SNRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"_ the bee-like demon snarled, lunging forward at the fairy at Mina's behest.

Dark Valkyria grimaced at the monster's approach, then launched herself forward to commit to combat. Making use of her agile wings, she attempted to outmaneuver the dark bee and cut it down like the Caller before, but-

She didn't account for the stinger.

" _Ugh!_ " she coughed, glancing down to her stomach where the wretched bee had impaled her with its point.

Collapsing as Steelswarm Sting laughed at her pain, Dark Valkyria began to vanish into golden light, then shattered completely in a sudden and violent explosion. Konami winced as he rode Enzo's Duel Runner through it, the Solid Vision tearing away at his Life Points as he did.

 _ **KONAMI - 3950 LP  
MINA - 2600 LP**_

"And now," Mina said eagerly, "Steelswarm Mantis will attack you directly-!"

"Not so fast," Konami interrupted. "You've forgotten about my Supervise's effect! Since you destroyed the monster it was equipped to, it got sent to the Graveyard, which means I get to bring back a Normal monster!"

"But you don't have any!" Mina shouted.

"That's where you're wrong, because just as my Gemini monsters are treated as Normal monsters when they first appear on the field...so too are they treated as Normal monsters in the Grave! That means, right now, I do have a Normal monster I can Special Summon! The Dark Valkyria your Steelswarm Sting just sent there!"

"Ah!" Mina gasped, watching as the dark fairy reappeared from the explosion with a glower and snarl.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)_

"So I'll just have to beat it twice then, is that it?" Mina asked. "If that's the case, then fine! My Mantis probably wants payback anyway! Steelswarm Mantis, go get your revenge! Cleave that fairy to bits with your _Dark Pincer!_ "

 _"WRYYYYYYYYYYY!"_ Mantis roared, spreading its wings and pouncing toward the revived fairy.

Dark Valkyria's eyes widened as the monster's shadow cast itself upon her, and she looked up just in time to be cleaved into a jagged X by Mantis' bladed arms. Konami shouted in discomfort as another explosion followed her defeat, sending shivers through the Duel Runner's systems and reducing his Life Points further.

 _ **KONAMI - 3550 LP  
MINA - 2600 LP**_

"And now that you're defenseless," Mina tried again, "my Gatekeeper has the opening it needs to attack directly!"

"Grr...!" Konami glowered, growling at the woman's words.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one. The four-legged Steelswarm snapped viciously as it leapt toward Bessie, intent on ripping it and its rider apart completely. With a single swipe of its claw, it tore an imaginary gash across Konami's side, prompting the boy to latch onto the spot as a shudder of Solid Vision roared through it.

"Ugh...!" he hissed, wincing and attempting to maintain control of the vehicle.

Bessie sputtered and coughed, the force of the Solid Vision assault wreaking havoc with its sensors, but it recovered. Straightening out as Konami regained control, it continued to speed down the highway behind Mina while registering the change in Konami's Life Points.

 _ **KONAMI - 2050 LP  
MINA - 2600 LP**_

 _"You're looooosing,"_ the Shadow whispered, its lips dangerously close to Konami's ear. _"And to Simington of all people. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Where has all your power gone? Did you leave it behind when you 'updated' your Deck?"_

"Shut up," Konami grimaced, closing his eyes as he attempted to ignore the words. "I didn't leave anything behind!"

 _"Then why are we still here? Why are we behind in Life Points? Why is a woman who's worth more in paperwork than dueling beating us?! Are you not the Dark Signer of Wiraqocha Rasca? Where is that power, that arrogance?! Show it to me, release my power, and let us devour this woman whole!"_

His Mark throbbed as the words rang through his ears, but Konami scrunched his face and bit back a howl of pain. He wouldn't give in, he wouldn't do what it wanted! Mina had yet to show any signs of awakening...and he wouldn't give her a reason to! Not today, not when he was trying to leave the city before he could awaken himself!

No.

There would be no darkness tonight.

At least, not from Wiraqocha Rasca!

"I have my own way of doing things," he told the shadow, pushing it back. "I won't be told how to duel, especially by some hallucination who doesn't know when to shut up! You want me to win, fine! But I'll do it on my terms, not yours!"

"What are you muttering about back there?!" Mina shouted, casting her gaze back toward him with a scowl. "You better not be planning on skipping out just because you've realized that you're going to lose!"

"Heh, and miss the look on your face when you understand just how screwed you are? Don't mock me!" Konami barked. Despite his words, however, his face was strained, and it felt like his entire arm was on fire. He tried to keep his mind off the pain by focusing on the road and the duel, but...

 _'I need to end this quick,'_ he thought, _'and hate to say it, but my old Geminis just aren't cutting it! Mina brought hers, so it's time I busted out some big guns of my own! Fortunately, I've got just the card to do it!'_

 _"Tsk!"_ The Shadow spat. _"Still planning on resisting? We'll see how far that gets you!"_

"It's my Turn," Konami told Mina, ignoring it. "I draw!"

 **TURN FOUR - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 2050 LP - 2 SPC**

"And now that I've added a card to my hand, I'll discard it to activate the effect of my face-down Trap Card, Gemini Ablation!" Konami shouted, tossing the Necro Gardna he just drew into the Graveyard slot. "By Discarding a card, Gemini Ablation lets me Special Summon a Gemini monster from my Deck! And that's not even the best part, because the Gemini monster I summon is then treated as if it's already been Gemini Summoned, which means I get to use all its special effects!"

"Big whoop!" Mina shouted. "Even the greatest effect in the world won't save you from this pinch! My Steelswarms have you cornered!"

"Heh, that's what you think! Unfortunately, you're about to be proven dead wrong," Konami replied with a grin, "because the Gemini monster I'm summoning is the Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"

A torrent of fire roared out from Gemini Ablation's artwork as if flipped upward. Dousing the highway in blazing flames, the stream burned away at the oxygen in the air, growing taller and taller until it began to take on a strange, draconic shape. What were once formless flames became a slender, snake-like body with wings, and a pair of arms and legs soon spread outward to accompany them. A pair of blood-red eyes then peered out from the raging heat, and with a great " _Skree!_ ", the flames parted to reveal the pitch-black scales of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon!

No, not the Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

Though similar in appearance, this new monster had not two, but _four_ red-hot wings! They soared eerily in the cloudless sky, burning even now as trails of fire flickered from their tips. Similar flames consumed the back of the great dragon's tail, urging the beast on as it stood against adversity in hopes of reaching its true potential! This was not the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, this was the Black _Flare_ Dragon, and that made all the difference.

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)_

"Twenty four hundred Attack Points?!" Mina gasped. "From a simple Special Summon?!"

"I told you how wide the distance between us really is," Konami said. "Now, it's time I proved it by dropping you to Zero! Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon..."

Black Flare Dragon growled in anticipation.

"...attack Steelswarm Mantis! _Inferno Fire Flare!_ "

 _"SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"_ Red-Eyes Black Flare roared.

 _"WRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"_ Mantis snarled back.

Gaping its jaws, the Black Flare Dragon coiled backward, ready to release the swirling torrent of hellfire it carried inside. Mantis crouched, poising itself for an assault that would undoubtedly catch the dragon off-guard. It leapt, pincers raised upward to cleave and cut and tear-

A bad move.

Eyes widening, Black Flare leaned forward and released its deadly breath attack. A flaming sphere flew forth from its maw, consuming the overgrown insect in its wave of all-consuming heat. Mantis screamed as it burnt away to nothing, leaving not even a shard of its remains on the field.

 _ **KONAMI - 2050 LP  
MINA - 2400 LP**_

"My Mantis!" Mina screamed.

She turned to glare at Konami.

"You'll pay for that!"

"No," Konami disagreed, "I won't. Because now that I've destroyed your monster, I'm going to destroy you! It's time for the coup de grace! Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon's effect activates!"

"It's effect?" Mina breathed, "What does that do?!"

Konami grinned viciously.

"Well, since you were kind enough to ask..." he began, "Black Flare Dragon gets more than just Battle Damage in when he fights! During the end of a Battle Phase in which he participated in damage calculation, I can inflict damage to you equal to his original Attack!"

Mina's eyes widened in shock.

"B-But that monster has twenty four hundred Attack Points!" she shouted. "The same amount of Life Points I have left!"

Konami's grin grew even darker.

"I told you I'd reduce you to Zero," he said. "Now, _GET OUT OF MY WAY!_ Black Flare Dragon, unleash your Inferno Fire Blast!"

 _"SKRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"_ the black dragon roared.

Taking a deep breath, it reared its head back to unleash a second sphere of flame. Smoke and shadow gathered around its jaws, and as it lunged forward-

It fired.

Endless heat poured from its lips, spewing outward into the highway to where Mina and her prototype Duel Runner drove. The blue-haired Agent gasped as she saw the approaching flare, and glanced quickly at the cards in her hand.

"Isn't there something," she panicked, " _anything_ I can do?!"

No.

Her hand had nothing for this situation, and neither Sting nor Gatekeeper had the effects needed to bail her out.

She was stuck.

More than that, she was doomed.

Even with a handicap, even with the new prototype Duel Runner, Konami was just too strong.

She was going to lose...

And there was not a single damned thing she could do about it.

"Game over," Konami whispered.

He tightened his grip on the controls, preparing to rev the engine when the effect landed and escape-

 _ **INTRUSION PENALTY - TRUDGE - 2000 LP - INTRUSION PENALTY**_

But his Duel Runner's display suddenly flared to life.

Whirring wildly and hitting him with a barrage of flashing colors, it repeated the same word over and over.

 _ **INTRUSTION PENALTY! INTRUSION PENALTY! INTRUSION PENALTY!**_

 _"What?!"_ he breathed, glancing forward in search for the declared intruder.

It only took him a moment to spot them, possibly because they were on the wrong side of the road.

Yes.

There, ahead of Mina, driving toward them in a sleek, black sedan, was-

"TRUDGE?!" Mina gasped, watching as the man drove his car past her and toward the approaching fireball.

His foot was smashed all the way to the floor, pushing the acceleration as far as he could while reaching into his hand to play a card.

"I activate..." he shouted, "Engagement Destiny!"

His sedan smashed into the fireball then, taking the brunt of the damage as Mina watched on in shock.

 _"TRUDGE!"_ she called out again, more out of worry this time, than shock.

He didn't reply. He was too busy recovering from the sudden loss of control he suffered as a result of charging headfirst into pure, concentrated Solid Vision. The sedan bucked and sizzled as it emerged from the other side of the fireball, nearly hitting Konami as it swerved left. Spinning sharply, Trudge committed to performing a complete U-turn, and once he had regained control of his vehicle, he smashed his foot on the gas once more.

"Damn it!" Konami hissed, "He interfered!"

"Kuh...!" Trudge spat at the boy as he drove past, fully intent on pulling up beside Mina.

"Trudge!" she repeated for a third time as he did. "You made it!"

"Heh," he replied, offering a thumbs up as he activated the sedan's autopilot. "Of course I did! I couldn't leave my partner alone to face a jerk like Konami, could I?"

He Opened the door to the car and unbuckled his seatbelt, then waited for Mina to line up. Once she had, he leapt onto her Slingshot, stumbling crashing into its passenger seat and letting the autopilot steer his sedan to safety.

"Trudge, I'm glad to see you, but how did you- where did you- what did you do?!" Mina asked.

"Engagement Destiny!" Trudge explained, casting his gaze back to Konami so he could hear as well. "When someone else would take effect damage, that card lets me take half of that damage, effectively spliting it fifty/fifty with the would-be recipient!"

He and Mina glanced to their Duel Screen and Duel Disk respectively, acknowledging the changes.

 _ **MINA - 1200 LP  
TRUDGE - 800 LP**_

"Tsk! So that's what happened," Konami said, glaring at Trudge as his Black Flare Dragon settled down. "You saw Mina was struggling and decided to jump in and help her out, huh?"

"That's right, you got a problem with that, Red Hat?" Trudge asked.

"Damn right I do!" Konami snapped at him. "Isn't two-on-one a little much, even for Sector Security?!"

"Looks like you were doing just fine with your earlier handicap," Trudge barked back, "so nah, I don't think it is! Besides, partners exist to help each other out, right? It's only natural I back mine up when she's in a pinch!"

"Trudge..." Mina whispered, "Thank you."

"Heh, don't mention it," he replied, scratching his cheek. "Now, let's get this guy!"

He slid his Duel Disk into the passenger side's connection port, syncing its system with Mina's own. In seconds, his eight hundred Life Points had added onto Mina's, and their remaining Speed Counters were averaged together. The display quickly registered their new totals.

 _ **MINA AND TRUDGE - 2000 LP - 993 SPC**_

"This is all kinds of unfair..." Konami grumbled. "But if taking you both on is what I've gotta do, then so be it! I'll play one card face-down and end my Turn!"

"Then that'll make it my move," Trudge said, asking Mina for permission.

She nodded curtly.

"Heh," he chuckled, "Great!"

He cast his gaze toward Konami angrily.

"It's time I dragged you down, Red Hat! I draw!"

 **TURN FIVE - TRUDGE - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 2000 LP - 994 SPC**

"I summon Jutte Fighter in Attack Mode!"

A golden light filled the air at Trudge's play, collecting upon his field in the form of a small Japanese man. He was dressed in a dark red gi with a yellow undershirt, and a large black gourd sat empty upon his back. The wind trickled easily through his smooth black hair, which was tied down on the top of his head to keep it from blinding his already near-sighted eyes. Vision was important for a fighter like him, after all, but he never let his disadvantage slow him down. His mastery over the jutte was unmatched, and he'd prove it by serving Trudge with his trusty weapon in any way he could!

 _Jutte Fighter - LV2 - EARTH - Warrior - (700/900)_

"Jutte Fighter..." Konami scowled, "If I remember correctly, that's a Tuner monster!"

"You're right, it is!" Trudge confirmed, "And it'll be fulfilling its purpose as one right now! That is, if you don't mind me using one of your monsters, Mina."

"Mm...you shouldn't use Sting if you're Synchro Summoning..." Mina explained firmly, "But Gatekeeper's all yours, Trudge!"

"Then Gatekeeper it is!" he said, swinging his hand forward. "I tune Mina's Steelswarm Gatekeeper with my Jutte Fighter!"

"A Level Six monster..." Konami murmured, "and he's using that Jutte Fighter of his too. Ah...! Don't tell me-!"

"That's right!" Trudge laughed boisterously. "It's time for my ace monster to finally make its appearance!"

Jutte Fighter hmph'd as he smacked Gatekeeper with his Jutte, transforming the otherworldly denizen into four shining stars that shot upward into the sky. Not wanting to be left behind, the tiny warrior leapt after them, splitting his body into two emerald sigils that swirled around the stars rapidly. Together, the stars and sigils burst into a stream of light, granting Trudge access to the world of speed and beckoning his chosen monster!

 _"I'll arrest you with this!"_ Trudge chanted eagerly. _"Synchro Summon! Join the ranks, Goyo Guardian!"_

The stream of light crashed down onto the highway as Trudge finished his chant, nearly sending Konami into a tailspin from the sheer force of its pressure. As its light cleared, he glanced up to notice that both Jutte Fighter and Steelswarm Gatekeeper were gone. In their place stood a single figure; a lean, muscular warrior clad in a regal black gown and kabuki makeup. Flowing blue ribbons hung from its back, but Konami's eyes were more drawn to the jutte beside it, which spun rapidly upon the cord clasped in the monster's vicious hands.

 _Goyo Guardian - LV6 - EARTH - Warrior - (2800/2000)_

"Goyo...Guardian..." Konami whispered, not at all amused.

"The ride ends here, Red Hat!" Trudge shouted. "If you don't want to get hurt, pull over now and spare yourself the humiliation of defeat!"

"You're crazy if you think I'm just gonna give up!"

"Then get ready to feel the pain!" Trudge shouted. "Goyo Guardian, arrest Konami's Black Flare Dragon!"

 _"ARAGOTO!"_ the guardian roared, and without waiting for a response, he flung his steel jutte forward toward the black dragon.

Black Flare Dragon snarled as the object wrapped around its body tightly, imprisoning it within the taut leather cord. Unable to move, unable to breathe, the monster could do nothing but flail as the cord grew tighter and tighter as a result of Goyo Guardian's immense strength. Before long, Black Flare Dragon had no choice but to give in. With one last roar, it shattered into golden light, showering Konami with its remains and reducing his Life Points.

 _ **KONAMI - 1650 LP  
MINA AND TRUDGE - 2000 LP**_

"Black Flare Dragon..." Konami whispered softly.

"Sad that your pal's gone?" Trudge mocked, "Don't worry, you'll still be able to see him. Behind bars, that is! I activate my Goyo Guardian's effect! When it destroys a monster by battle, I can Special Summon that monster from the Graveyard in Defense Position!"

"Not good...!" Konami winced at the words, realizing what it meant.

In seconds, the shattered remains of Black Flare Dragon came flowing back, gathering beside Goyo Guardian and recreating the great beast. Unlike before, however, its body was bound in a pile of jutte-clad cords, tied together neatly to ensure the creature's obedience.

Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon had been arrested.

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)_

"Nice work, Trudge!" Mina said. "Now we can use Konami's own effects against him!"

"Yeah, and with a move that does twenty four hundred points of burn damage, this Duel is a good as done!"

"Don't be so sure about that!" Konami growled. "You might have taken my monster, but since you Special Summoned him from the Graveyard, that means he's treated as a Normal monster right now! You'll have to Gemini Summon him if you want that effect, but I doubt you'll be able to keep him long enough to do it!"

"Then I'd better play a card to ensure we will!" Trudge replied. "I"ll set one card face-down and end my Turn! How's that, Red Hat?!"

"Terrible!" Konam spat, revving his engine to pick up the pace. "And I'll prove it right now! My Turn, I draw!"

 **TURN SIX - KONAMI - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1650 LP - 4 SPC**

His eyes widened as he caught sight of the drawn card. Finally, it had come.

"I'm activating the effect of my Gemini Ablation Trap Card!" Konami shouted first. "I'll discard one card, and then Special Summon a Gemini monster from my Deck as an Effect monster!"

After sliding his drawn card into the Graveyard slot, he opened up his Deck and reached for a monster.

"I choose you," he stated, "Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

Placing the card face-up on the Duel Board, Konami grinned as a crimson bolt of lightning rained down from the sky. It sparked and crackled, rolling across the concrete and announcing the arrival of Konami's archdemon. Emerging from the destructive bolt, the empowered black devil roared violently, ready to smash and claw and break down all who stood in its way.

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"That monster is-?!" Trudge's eyes went wide, visions of a spiky-haired youth's own Fiend monster appearing in his head. Memories of watching the old tournaments on television, and recalling those wretched days in high school... "Summoned Skull?! No, it's different!"

"Different is right, because unlike the Summoned Skull, this Archfiend has an effect!" Konami explained. "Once per Turn, I can destroy all face-up monsters you control whose Defense Points are less than my Red-Eyes Archfiend's Attack Points! In other words, every monster you control will be destroyed, paving the way for me to claim another victory!"

"Impossible! He's already making a comeback?!"

"Go, Red-Eyes Archfiend!" Konami commanded. "Unleash your power!"

 _"WRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_ the Archfiend roared.

Lightning crackled around its body, taking in the power of darkness before spreading out toward the rest of the field. Goyo Guardian tensed as it watched the lightning approach. It was just about to release its jutte to try and combat the electrical threat when Trudge suddenly made an announcement of his own.

"Stop right there, Red Hat!" he shouted, "I've got a Trap - _Fiendish Chain!_ It'll bind your Red-Eyes Archfiend tight, and keep it from activating its effects or waging battle on me and Mina's monsters!"

Electric-proof chains shot out from the card's artwork as Trudge finished his explanation, and Konami's eyes widened in horror as his Archfiend found itself bound in their coils. The black archdemon snarled at being treated so poorly, but it could do nothing to fix its state. It was caught, just like the Black Flare Dragon! The only difference was which side of the field they stood upon.

"Hahaha... _Hahahahaha!_ " Trudge laughed. "How's that, Red Hat?! For once, I've finally managed to outsmart you! Now, end your Turn so Mina can finish you off!"

"Don't be so hasty, Trudge!" Konami snapped. "You might have bound my monster, true, and you've even taken my Black Flare Dragon...but that doesn't mean you've won this Duel just yet! I still have a card or two up my sleeve, and I won't be ending my Turn until they've been played!"

"What's that?!" Trudge barked. "Impossible! You're tellin' me you've actually got a way outta this?!"

"He's bluffing," Mina suggested. "He can't beat our current field, can he?!"

"Heh, I'm not surprised that an amateur like you thinks so," Konami told Mina, "but Trudge knows full well how dangerous Turbo Duelists can be when cornered! And let me tell you, right now...I'm feeling pretty cornered!"

 _"That's right,"_ the Shadow hissed in his ear all the while. _"You're cornered, so use my power! Draw me on your next turn, and unleash my power against these fools! It's the only way..."_

 _'No,'_ Konami thought, _'It's not the only way! I already have the card I need to get out of this situation. I just have to summon it!'_

He glanced to his hand, and found just the card that could do it.

"I haven't Normal Summoned a monster yet," he told his opponents, "so I think I'll go ahead and do it now! Come on out...Dread Dragon!"

A small plume of flame accompanied his words and action, materializing beside his Duel Runner as it charged down the street. Vanishing under the high-speed winds, the flames quickly gave way, revealing the purple-haired reptilian residing beneath.

The brown dragon roared as it was exposed to the world, and it quickly flapped its wings to take flight beside Konami as he prepared to summon his newest monster.

 _Dread Dragon - LV2 - FIRE - Dragon - (1100/400)_

"Wisteria," he whispered softly, "Are you watching...?"

He shook his head.

It didn't matter.

What did matter, however, was that he saw this through to the end!

"I'm tuning my Level Two Dread Dragon with my Level Six Red-Eyes Archfiend!" he shouted with a flourish of his hand.

The Fiendish Chains fell slack as the Archfiend suddenly vanished from within them, taking on a new shape that could not be caught by binds alone. Six shining stars shot high into the sky, and Dread Dragon flew upward to meet them. Transforming into two swirling sigils that rode the wind, it circled the Archfiend's six stars and shattered into a blinding white light that consumed the sky whole.

Then, the white light turned red.

Dark clouds began to roll in from afar, and for a moment, a sharp pulse ran through Konami's arm. He could feel it, the power of Wiraqocha Rasca, beckoning him to awaken. Even now, the Shadow hissed for his obedience, but he would not falter; he would not break! Not now, not ever!

He accelerated, ignoring the pain in his arm as he began a chant that'd swing things back in his favor.

 _"Enemies gather like a treacherous horde! Become the despair that devours their dreams!"_ Konami chanted. _"Synchro Summon! Seize the Moment, Dark End Dragon!"_

The crimson light split the heavens and crashed onto the earth. Waves of miasma and fog roared outward upon impact, dousing the highway with its thick atmosphere as a deep, guttural growl echoed through the sky.

As the light faded, Konami glanced upward to face his new monster. It stared back at him through its glowing green eyes, which were complimented only by the dark blue jewel adorned on its forehead and the long, bony spikes protruding from its ears. Its scales were a sleek black color, and ran all across its body, and onto its back where a pair of tattered wings sat uselessly, battered from years of battle and misuse. And yet, the monster's most frightening aspect was its chest, which housed a grinning, monstrous face that looked ready to devour almost anything in sight! Unlike the dragon's head, it housed a red jewel in its center, and carried a pair of gleaming yellow eyes.

 _Dark End Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (2600/2100)_

So, this was the monster that Wisteria had chosen for him.

The monster she felt most represented who he was.

 _'A monster that overcomes all obstacles at the cost of itself...'_ Konami thought warily.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again and glared at his opponents.

"It's too bad," he told them. "You were doing well for a moment there, but now you've gone and made me get serious. You should've backed off when I gave you the chance. All that awaits you now...is one of a hundred different Bad Ends."

* * *

 _ **Chapter 14 - END**_

* * *

 _"Dark Evaporation!"_

 _Having summoned Dark End Dragon, Konami launches a counterattack to overpower Mina and Trudge! In response, the two Agents put their all into fending off his attacks so as to beat Konami completely! As their fierce back-and-forth drives their Life Points lower than ever, the exit to the airport closes in! Will Konami beat them in time to escape?_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: High-Speed Showdown! Dark End Roars!**_

 _"With this, you're finished!"_

* * *

 **Read and Review!**


	15. High-Speed Showdown! Dark End Roars!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"One Thousand Speed Counters?! What sort of trickery is this?!"_

 _Caught in Mina's wicked trap, Konami partakes in a Turbo Duel with a devastating handicap! While he must start from the bottom like usual, his opponent begins with an incredible numbers of Speed Counters. Making use of them to cast otherwise impossible Speed Spells, Mina creates a field worthy of challenging Konami head-on! He attempts to fight back with his Dark Valkyria, but it soon becomes clear that his older Geminis won't be enough! Putting his faith in his cards, he uses his Trap, Gemini Ablation, to call forth a new signature monster!_

 _"Come forth, Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"_

 _Invoking the power of Red-Eyes, Konami brings out a black dragon that can end the Duel by itself! Unleashing a mighty Inferno Fire Blast that would burn away the last of Mina's Life Points, the black dragon seems certain of its victory, until Trudge suddenly interferes! Casting a card to split the damage between Mina and himself, he proceeds to link up with his partner and face Konami two-against-one! Summoning his own monsters, they quickly make a comeback, and push Konami to the brink! However, there is nothing more frightening than a cornered Duelist, and he intends to prove it! Summoning a Tuner monster to the field, he combines it with his face-up Red-Eyes Archfiend to call forth the monster Wisteria had given before parting ways!_

 _"Seize the Moment, Dark End Dragon!"_

 _Will this new monster be enough to turn things around, or will Mina and Trudge prove to be Konami's undoing? Prepare to find out!_

* * *

 _ **Chapter Fifteen**_

* * *

 _ **High-Speed Showdown! Dark End Roars!**_

* * *

Dark End Dragon glared as it floated behind Konami's Duel Runner. A deep, guttural growl spilled from its lips, and both Mina and Trudge stared at the monster warily, ignorant of its effect.

 _Dark End Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (2600/2100)_

"A DARK Dragon..." Mina whispered. "We need to be careful! Security files state that such monsters are usually extremely dangerous!"

"It's nothing we can't handle! We've stopped him this far, and we'll stop him again!" Trudge promised.

"We'll see about that! I activate Dark End Dragon's special ability!" Konami roared with a swing of his hand. "By reducing its Attack and Defense by five hundred points, it'll send an enemy monster to the Graveyard!"

 _Dark End Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (2100/1600)_

"Let's go, Dark End Dragon!" he commanded, directing his finger toward Goyo Guardian with a dramatic twirl, "Remove that out-of-line warlord from my sight! _Dark Evaporation!_ "

Dark End Dragon hissed as the face upon its chest suddenly roared to life. As its pale yellow eyes began to glow, the sharp and jagged teeth of the facial chest began to open, revealing the endless darkness of the void it housed within. A miasmic fog spilled forth from the chest's jaws, and they were quickly followed by a deadly stream of black light.

It raced down the highway at incredible speeds, collapsing upon Goyo Guardian with a terrible shriek that set the poor kabuki ablaze. Black flames licked and burnt away at the monster's flesh and blood, and in seconds, it had vanished entirely from view, erased completely and leaving Trudge with but two remaining monsters.

"D-Damn it! It had such an effect?!" Trudge growled.

Konami grimaced as his dragon's chest snapped back shut. He had to admit, five hundred Attack and Defense Points were a steep price to pay...but at least it still left Dark End with the Attack he needed to do this!

"Battle!" he shouted, directing his monster onward once more. "Dark End Dragon attacks Black Flare Dragon!"

"What's this? He'd attack his own monster?!"

"You expect me to leave it on your side of the field?!" Konami asked sharply. "You might not take any damage since it was brought back in Defense Position, but that doesn't mean I'll just stand aside and let you use it against me. No, I'll be damned before that happens, which is why I'm taking my Red-Eyes back! Now, Dark End Dragon, attack! Destroy Black Flare Dragon with your _Dark Fog!_ "

The jeweled dragon snarled upon hearing the command. Its draconic head dipped forward, gathering the power it held within while preparing to unleash its feral rage. Black light began to sill out from between the dragon's shut maw, and then, once it had gathered enough power to be victorious, it let it all loose!

A treacherous beam of dark energy raged through the sky, obliterating all in its path as it paved its way toward the Black Flare Dragon. The red-eyed dragon made no attempt to dodge or deflect the blow. On the contrary, the beast was more than content to face punishment for its betrayal, regardless of how unexpected or unwanted its sudden duplicity was.

With a pained screech, it allowed for Dark End Dragon's attack to strike true, not resisting in the slightest as the wave consumed everything Black Flare Dragon was, and more!

In seconds, the mighty Red-Eyes was gone, leaving Dark End Dragon as the only high-leveled monster on the field.

But Konami wasn't done just yet!

His Battle Phase might have ended, but his Turn itself was far from finished.

"Next," he shouted, drawing the two officers' gaze once more, "I activate the effect of the Black Stone of Legend in my Graveyard!"

"Black Stone of _what?!_ " Trudge asked gruffly.

"When did that get there?" Mina inquired as well.

"This was one of the cards I discarded when activating my Gemini Ablation earlier," Konami explained. "And now that it's in the Graveyard, I can use one of its effects! When its in the Graveyard alongside a Level Seven or lower "Red-Eyes" monster, I can shuffle that "Red-Eyes" card back into my Deck, and then, I get to add the Black Stone of Legend back to my Hand!"

"But that's not fair!" Mina shouted.

"Hmph!" Konami retorted, "You're the last one I want to hear complaining about fairness after what you two have pulled! I return the Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon I just destroyed to my Deck, and add the Black Stone back to my hand!"

"Tsk..! And I bet he'll plan on using that combo again on his next turn!" Trudge glowered.

"It doesn't matter," Mina replied. "Even if he does, we'll just have to do our best to prepare for it! That shouldn't be too hard, considering all the resources we have left!"

Indeed, unlike Konami, she and Trudge had more than enough Speed Counters to activate whatever card they wished. More than that, they had two entire Decks to work with! Overcoming a single Duelist wasn't impossible, even if it was Konami, someone who could take on Jack himself and win!

 _'We can do this,'_ Mina thought with a shaky breath. _'We can win!'_

Unbeknownst to Mina, however, was the fact that Konami was having similar thoughts!

 _'With my Black Stone of Legend and Gemini Ablation, I can continue to recycle Archfiend and Black Flare Dragon as I please,'_ he thought. _'That being said, it doesn't do anything to help me overcome the difference in Speed Counters! I've been so worried about making it to the airport in time that I didn't even stop to consider whether or not I'd be able to take the exit in the first place! The more Speed Counters you have, the faster you can go...and with them so far ahead of me it'll be easy as pie for them to block me from taking the exit when we approach! I have to narrow the distance, and this card is the only way I can think of to do it!'_

"I'll set one card face-down and end my Turn!" Konami declared, sliding a pink card into his Trap Zone with a frown. "It's your move, Mina! Do your worst!"

"I'm sure you'd like that, but I won't be taking it easy on you!" Mina replied. "It's my move, and I'll do my best to defeat you during it!"

"Yeah, that's the way, Mina!" Trudge said. "Take this Duel to the hoop!"

"My Turn! I draw!"

 _ **TURN SEVEN - MINA - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 2000 LP - 996 SPC**_

She glanced at her drawn card.

It was Steelswarm Girastag.

 _'Perfect!'_ she thought, casting her gaze to her field.

Though Goyo Guardian and the Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon had been destroyed, Steelswarm Sting still remained! That was good. Steelswarm Sting couldn't take Dark End Dragon on in a battle, but if she combined its ability with Girastag's own...

Yes.

She could defeat Konami this Turn, she was sure of it!

"I'm activating an effect from my hand!" she decided, revealing her drawn Steelswarm Girastag with a firm glare. "Steelswarm Girastag's special effect! When I would Tribute Summon this monster, I can pay for both of the required Tributes by offering one "Steelswarm" monster I control! Since my Steelswarm Sting fits that requirement, I'll be sending it to the Graveyard as sacrifice!"

The bee-like monstrosity hissed at Mina's words, its body suddenly convulsing as a black sphere burst from its center. It grew in size, corroding Sting from the inside out, until all that remained was the great black portal itself.

That was what Mina was waiting for.

"Steelswarm Sting's effect activates!" she announced before Girastag could take to the field. "Since Sting was removed from the field, I must destroy one Ritual, Fusion, or Synchro monster on the field!"

Konami's eyes widened in shock.

"What did you just say?!" he gasped, glancing at the growing portal as Sting's pointed tip suddenly emerged from within.

"I said, a Synchro monster must be destroyed!" Mina repeated, "And I'm sure we both know which one I'm picking!"

"Dark End Dragon...!" he answered knowingly. "You monster...! I just summoned it!"

"And now, you're about to lose it! Go, Steelswarm Sting! Destroy that dragon with your _Dual Destruction!_ "

Tearing out of the portal like a man on fire, Steelswarm Sting screamed as it launched itself upon Dark End Dragon. Raising its stinger as it approached, the dark bee quickly drove its point into Dark End's face, landing a fatal blow even as the dragon swung back with its three-clawed hand. Steelswarm Stinger quickly found itself ripped to shreds by the assault, but the damage was already done. Its stinger had infected Dark End with its deadly poison, and as Sting vanished into the void, defeated...so too did Dark End Dragon.

 _"Skreeee..."_

With a soft hiss, Dark End's body scattered to the wind, leaving Konami with nothing but a single face-down card.

"Alright!" Trudge cheered, pumping his fist as he watched Konami tremble. "You've destroyed his last monster! He's got nothing left!"

"Except those Trap Cards of his..." Mina reminded Trudge worriedly. "That face-down...I'm worried about it! Fortunately, my Girastag will be enough to handle that!"

With a great roar, a dark and mighty Stag Beetle emerged from the black portal. Clad in the same black exoskeleton as its fellow Steelswarms, it stood tall and proud, ready to decimate all who called Mina Simington a foe. To do this, it wielded a powerful arm cannon that stood where its right hand should be. The weapon was capable of obliterating entire civilizations in an instant, much like its left hand, which burned with an awesome power all on its own. Together, the weapons cast an eerie orange glow across all they shone upon, such as the monster's long and winding tail that hung down from its rear.

Konami glared at the monster as it levelled its cannon towards him, knowing that like Mantis before it, Girasag probably had a powerful effect.

 _Steelswarm Girastag - LV7 - DARK - Fiend - (2600/0)_

"I'm activating Girastag's special ability!" Mina called out, confirming his fears. "When its summoned by Tributing a "Steelswarm" monster, I can target one card you control, send it to the Graveyard, and gain a thousand Life Points!"

"Trying to wipe out my defenses, are you?!" Konami asked with a wince.

"That's right!" She affirmed. "So say goodbye to that face-down card of yours, because whatever it is, it's about to be gone!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" He shouted back. "If it's going anyway, then I'll at least make sure that it's on my own terms! I'm chaining my face-down to your Girastag's effect! I activate the Trap Card - _Slip Stream!_ "

The Trap flipped face-up to reveal the artwork of silver car gaining on a blue vehicle in front of it.

"This card can only be activated while I have less Speed Counters than you do," Konami explained. "As for what it does, well, we'll get to that later, because right now, it doesn't do anything!"

"Then it won't stop my Girastag from sending it to the Graveyard!" Mina replied. "Which means that with its destruction, I gain a thousand Life Points! Go ahead, Girastag! Turn that card into fuel for our victory! _Energy Absorption!_ "

Growling softly, Girastag swung its body around and lashed out with its long, suction-like tail. Its hollow-ended tip rippled and expanded as it approached Konami's face-up Trap, swallowing the card whole before crushing it into fluid for Girastag to consume. It traveled up the tail quickly, collecting into Girastag's main body and filling it with incredible power. The process gave Girastag the strength it needed to fight, and it gathered that energy into its glowing arm cannon. Once it was done, it turned back toward Mina and fired a gentle beam of light meant to heal her wounds and replenish her stamina.

 _ **KONAMI - 1650 LP  
MINA AND TRUDGE - 3000 LP**_

"Alright," Trudge grinned. "Now we're talking! We've almost got the twice the Life Points he has left! Keep this up, and we'll have him beat in no time!"

"No time at all," Mina agreed, "because now that he only has that Gemini Ablation card left on his field, my Girastag can attack directly!"

The Steelswarm growled eagerly, relishing the opportunity to show off its strength. Mina was more than happy to oblige its wishes.

"Go, Girastag! Finish Konami off with your _Infestation Wave!_ "

Levelling its cannon toward Konami, Girastag let loose an maniacal roar before firing a blast of pure, collected energy. The orange wave rushed down the highway, tearing through the air as it drew closer and closer to Konami. He grimaced as he saw it approached, then swung his hand forward at the last moment.

Mina felt her hopes die the moment he did.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm not out of this fight just yet! I have a Graveyard Card - _Necro Gardna!_ " Konami revealed. "When it's in my Graveyard during your Turn, I can banish it to negate your monster's attack!"

The translucent form of the long-haired soldier appeared before Konami's Duel Runner at that moment, taking the brunt of Girastag's attack and negating any damage Konami might have received. Once it was certain the danger had passed, Necro Gardna vanished as quickly as it came, leaving Konami alone with his one Trap yet again.

Girastag lowered its steaming cannon with a growl, and Mina too glowered at Konami, realizing she had missed her chance.

"He dodged it..." She murmured angrily, "I should've known!"

"It's no big deal," Trudge assured. "We'll get him next time."

"We'd better, because the longer this Duel goes on, the more chances he has to stage a comeback!" Mina shouted. She glanced at the remaining cards in her hand, then plucked one out and slid it onto her Duel Board. "I'll set one card face-down, Konami! After that, it's your Turn!"

"Then it's time for me to rev it up, because I'm making my move!" he shouted, hitting the accelerator. "I Draw!"

 _ **TURN EIGHT - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1650 LP - 6 SPC**_

" _ALRIGHT!"_ Konami shouted, his Duel Runner suddenly picking up speed and allowing him to catch up to Mina's Slingshot.

"What?!" Trudge shouted, gasping as the sudden burst in speed caught him off-guard. "Hey, Mina, what's the deal?! How'd his measly ride catch up to us so quick? You hit the brakes or something?!"

"No, I didn't hit anything!" Mina denied. "We didn't slow down, he's just sped up!"

"Heh, you like that?" Konami asked as he drove alongside them. "It's the effect of my Slip Stream I activated last Turn! See, when it's activated while my Speed Counters are lower than yours, then during my next Standby Phase, I gain Speed Counters until the number I have equals your own!"

"What did you say?!" Mina gasped.

She glanced down at her display screen only to see that Konami was right. His Speed Counters had suddenly jumped tremendously high. Unlike the six he had when his Turn began, he now had nine hundred and ninety seven! The same as theirs!

 _ **KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1650 LP - 997 SPC**_

"Guh...! Red Hat, that's playing dirty!" Trudge shouted.

"Shut up! Don't starting complaining just because your own twisted plans went and backfired on you! The way I see it, this is just some well-timed payback!" Konami taunted. "Now, let's see how you like it when I have access to the same number of Speed Counters as you do! I'm activating a Speed Spell - _Shift Down!_ "

He revealed the green card in his hand before sliding it into his Spell Zone.

"When I activate this card, I have to remove six Speed Counters from my copy of Speed World!" he went on to explain, doing just that. "Then, I get to draw two new cards from my Deck!"

He glanced at the Deck determinedly as he drew, then locked his eyes on his new cards.

 _ **KONAMI - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1650 LP - 991 SPC**_

"Alright, just what I needed!" he explained. "Another Speed Spell!"

Trudge and Mina bristled at the words.

"I play _Premature Burial!_ " Konami shouted. "When I have more than four Speed Counters on Speed World, I can pay eight hundred Life Points to revive a monster from my Graveyard in Attack Position! Now then, it hasn't been that long since we said goodbye, but please give a warm welcome back to my Dark End Dragon!"

 _ **KONAMI - 850 LP  
MINA AND TRUDGE - 3000 LP**_

A crimson light filled the highway as the demonic dragon rose from the depths, ready to act in Konami's stead. Loosing a terrible howl, it spread its wings far and wide, then turned to glare at the Steelswarm who'd engineered its earlier defeat.

 _Dark End Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (2600/2100)_

Trudge's eyes bulged. "Not that monster again!"

"Dark End Dragon's effect activates!" Konami shouted, wasting no time humoring the man's fear. "By reducing its Attack and Defense by five hundred points, it sends your Steelswarm Girastag to the Graveyard!"

"But I just summoned it!" Mina complained.

"Well, you know what they say...payback's a bitch!" Konami roared. "Go, Dark End Dragon! _Dark Evaporation!_ "

Gaping the jaws wreathed across its chest, Dark End fired a wave of miasmic energy that quickly engulfed the overgrown stag beetle. Howling in pain as the black flames licked at its body, Girastag attempted to raise its cannon in hopes of firing a return shot, but it was too late. The black flames consumed the fiend whole, banishing it from the realm of the living and casting it down into the depths of darkest despair.

Once again, Mina and Trudge were defenseless...and Dark End Dragon had paid the price.

 _Dark End Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (2100/1600)_

"Not so fun, is it?" Konami inquired. "Well, I hope you're enjoying yourself, because it's about to get even worse!"

"Don't tell me..." Mina murmured.

"Yes, just as you're suspecting, I'm reactivating the effect of my Gemini Ablation!" Konami shouted. "By discarding my Black Stone of Legend back to the Graveyard, I can Gemini Summon the Black Flare Dragon I returned to my Deck!"

With a screaming roar, the flaming black dragon burst from Konami's Trap, eager to serve and please its true master once again! Spinning about wildly to cast off the flames that accompanied its arrival, Black Flare Dragon spread out its four red wings, and gazed down onto the field alongside its dark-scaled brethren.

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)_

"Tsk...! That monster again!" Trudge grunted.

"And since it was summoned through Gemini Ablation, that means it's treated as an Effect monster and can use its effect!" Mina recalled.

"And I'm not finished yet," Konami continued, "because now that my Black Stone of Legend is back in the Graveyard, I can activate its effect as well! I return my deceased Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning to my Deck..."

A silhouette of the horned archdemon appeared momentarily as Konami shuffled its card into the stack.

"...and then, I add Black Stone back to my hand!"

Mina grimaced, "That combo of his... It's nothing but trouble!"

"At this rate, it doesn't matter how many times we destroy those Red-Eyes monsters." Trudge grunted, "He'll just keep recycling them with those cards of his!"

"How's it feel, knowing that even against both of you, I only need these few cards to keep you on your toes?" Konami asked. "You're outmatched, both of you! Give up now and spare yourself a humiliating defeat!"

"You're the only one who's going to be defeated here, Red Hat!" Trudge snapped. "Besides, I'm not giving up until you've given us the answers we're looking for!"

"Give it up! I'm not telling you anything, not now. Not until I've gotten my own situation under control! If you want to know what's going on, fine! But I'm not telling you until I'm sure what happened here won't happen again!"

"That's not good enough!" Mina replied. "I want to know what's going on, and I want to know it now! That vision I had of Director Goodwin...and the pain that's been surging down my arm lately...! I know you have something to do with it, and I'm not stopping until I've found out what!"

"Then fall, like everyone else who's dared to oppose me!" Konami snapped, wide-eyed and furious. "Dark End Dragon, attack them directly! _Dark Fog!_ "

"Not so fast!" Mina called, swinging out her arm as the dragon reared its head back to strike. "I've got a Trap, _Call of the Haunted!_ It lets me bring back a monster from my Graveyard, and I've got just the one to make you think twice about attacking! Come on back, Goyo Guardian!"

 _"KON'NICHIWA!"_ the white-faced warrior replied as it emerged from the golden light of Mina's Trap. Swirling its jutte about skillfully, it twirled about the field before landing in a dramatic, wide-footed pose!

 _Goyo Guardian - LV6 - EARTH - Warrior - (2800/2000)_

"That monster again...? Now...?" Konami winced.

"Hehahaha!" Trudge laughed, "Looks like you're the one on the ropes now, Red Hat! Even with its effect, your Black Flare Dragon won't be around to see its power activate if it attacks my Goyo Guardian!"

 _'Damn, he's right!'_ Konami thought. _'Twenty eight hundred Attack Points is a little too much for either of these monsters to climb over, and I've already used Dark End's effect! Hate to say it, but it looks like they've nailed me this round! But that doesn't mean they'll win the next!'_

"I'll set a card face-down and end my Turn!" Konami roared. "You say you've got me on the ropes? Let's see you put your money where your mouth is and prove it, Trudge!"

"With pleasure!" the man replied, grinning as he reached for his Deck. "It's my Turn! I draw!"

 _ **TURN NINE - TRUDGE - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 3000 LP - 998 SPC**_

"First things first, I'm summoning my Search Striker in Defense Position!" Trudge exclaimed.

He placed the card onto his Monster Zone slot with a grin, then watched as a tall, lean warrior rose to aid him. Covered in a sleek blue robe, it stood valiantly, protected by a thick metal helmet that covered its face. A pair of a long, silver cannons stretched out from its shoulders, acting as the monster's arms. They crossed against its chest as it kneeled, moving to protect itself as per Trudge's orders.

 _Search Striker - LV4 - WIND - Warrior - (1600/1200)_

"Now that that's done," Trudge continued, "it's time we ran into my Battle Phase!"

"Here it comes..." Konami murmured. "His Goyo Guardian...!"

 _'If I attack that Black Flare Dragon of his, he'll just defeat it with Dark End Dragon and bring it back with that Black Stone and Gemini Ablation combo of his!'_ Trudge thought with a glare. _'So what if I attack Dark End instead?'_

He ran through the scenario in his mind. The destruction of Dark End Dragon at Goyo Guardian's hands, its subsequent revival on his side of the field...the activation of its effect to destroy Black Flare.

 _'It still won't let me finish him off this Turn,'_ Trudge glowered, _'but it's better than the alternative!'_

Cementing his decision, he swung his arm outward.

"Go, Goyo Guardian!" he roared, prompting the warrior to leap into motion. "Attack Dark End Dragon!"

"Trudge, wait!" Mina warned, but it was too late.

The kabuki-faced warrior spun its jutte about wildly and leapt high into the sky. Reaching the very clouds themselves, Goyo Guardian then let loose a mighty shout, and cast his jutte down from the heavens. The steel weapon shone with deadly precision as it closed in on Dark End Dragon's precision, but just when it looked as though the attack would go through, Konami's hand swung outward, revealing a face-down card!

"Bad move, Trudge!" he shouted, flipping the card upward to reveal the artwork of a grinning fiend in red robes. "I have _Reverse Trap!_ "

"Reverse Trap? What's that do?!" Trudge asked bewilderedly.

"What? You don't know?" Konami asked. "With as old as you are, I figured this card would be right up your alley - it is a classic, after all."

Trudge grimaced at the insult, and curled his hands into menacing fists.

"What'd you just say...?!" he growled, glaring at Konami.

The Red Hat smirked back at him.

"Reverse Trap's effect activates!" he then shouted, "Until the End Phase of this Turn, all effects that add or subtract Attack or Defense points are reversed! What that means is, anything that lowers a monster's Attack Points now increases them, and vice versa!"

"And your Dark End Dragon used its effect earlier, decreasing its Attack and Defense Points by five hundred each!" Mina gasped.

"Which means that decrease now becomes an increase," Konami explained. "Pushing my Dark End Dragon's Attack from twenty one hundred...to _thirty_ one hundred!"

The dark dragon roared as a black aura of miasma suddenly engulfed it, increasing its power and sending it over the brink!

 _Dark End Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3100/2600)_

Trudge's eyes widened in horror at the realization. "But wait, my Goyo Guardian only has two thousand eight hundred Attack Points!"

"Which means my Dark End Dragon is now stronger than it!" Konami explained. "Your attack fails!"

Dark End roared as it swung the warrior's jutte out of the air with a swipe of its claws. The kabuki-faced warrior gasped as the sudden collision nearly knocked the cord out of its hand, and it locked eyes with its opponent.

"Dark End Dragon," Konami said, "counterattack! _Dark Fog!_ "

Gaping its jaws, the dragon fired back a return shot. A stream of black light burst from the monster's mouth, and it shot high into the sky where it collided with Goyo Guardian in a loud explosion of flame.

Vibrations rippled down onto the highway as golden shards rained down on the field; the only remains of the great Goyo Guardian. Trudge grimaced and hissed as Mina swerved through the falling debris, letting the Solid Vision take its toll on them as their Life Points fell.

 _ **KONAMI - 850 LP  
MINA AND TRUDGE - 2700 LP**_

"Darn it, Trudge!" Mina hissed, "That's why I was trying to warn you! I knew that face-down card had to be something...!"

"Sorry, Mina..." he apologized, "...but, we're not out of this fight yet! We still have my Search Striker in Defense Position!"

"And what good will that do?" Mina asked. "Both his monsters are stronger than it, and since its been Gemini Summoned, one attack from that Black Flare Dragon of his is all it'll take to finish us off!"

Trudge frowned. He knew Mina's words were true. If left alone, Black Flare Dragon would use its burn effect to inflict twenty four hundred points of damage and finish them off. However, it had to participate in damage calculation for that effect to work, and Trudge had ways to ensure it wouldn't!

"I've got this Mina."

"Do you?" she wondered with a frown.

"Yeah. I realize I messed up, so at least give me the chance to make it up to you!" He grabbed the remaining cards in his hand, then slid them all face-down into his Spell and Trap Zones. "I'll set three cards face-down, and end my Turn!"

The Shadow whistled in Konami's ear.

 _"Three face-downs? Quite the imposing situation, isn't it?"_ It asked. _"If only you'd used my power like I told you too. I could have removed those cards from his hand, before he ever had the chance to play them!"_

 _'Yes,'_ Konami thought. _'Wiraqocha Rasca could have indeed removed cards from Trudge or Mina's hand, but only at the cost of my other cards. Cards that have proven imperative in protecting my Life Points!'_

 _'Who needs protection when you have an Immortal on your side? I can't be attacked by simple monsters such as these, remember?'_

 _'But it can be destroyed by effects,'_ Konami countered. _'Effects like Steelswarm Girastag's! Did you have a plan for that, too? Did you?!'_

The Shadow went silent.

 _'That's what I thought,'_ Konami grimaced, feeling the pain in his arm lessen somewhat.

He cast his gaze back to Trudge's field. Three face-downs? No problem! He'd drive straight through, like he always did!

"It's my Turn!" he shouted, reaching for a card. "I draw!"

 **TURN TEN - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 850 LP - 993 SPC**

"Once again, I'm activating the effect of my Gemini Ablation!" Konami revealed, revealing the Black Stone of Legend in his hand. "By discarding this card, I can Gemini Summon a monster from my Deck! And I'm sure you know who I'm bringing back!"

"Archfiend...!" Trudge growled, narrowing his gaze angrily.

"That's right! Come on back, Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

The bony black demon roared as it crawled out of Gemini Ablation's artwork, dousing the world with its terrible form at last. Black Flare and Dark End Dragon snarled alongside the archdemon, their three treacherous forms casting a dark and terrible shadow on Mina and Trudge.

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"Next," Konami continued, "I'm activating my Archfiend's special effect! Once per Turn, I can destroy all face-up cards you control with Defense Points less than my Archfiend's Attack Points! I hope you said your goodbyes, because with this, your Search Striker is a goner!"

Lightning crackled around Red-Eyes Archfiend as it prepared to launch a wave of electricity to destroy the warrior, but before it could, Trudge swung his arm outward to intercept its assault.

"Stop right there, I've got a Trap - _Breakthrough Skill!_ It'll negate the effects of one face-up monster until the End Phase, and I choose your Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

Konami's eyes widened as the Trap stopped his archdemon in its tracks, prompting it to lower its claws warily. The demon glared at Trudge for daring to oppose it, but settled down, waiting for its next chance to strike.

"Tsk...! Breakthrough Skill, you have that card too?"

"Effect monsters are common in this day and age," Trudge replied. "Of course I'd have a card suited for denying them!"

"But you've forgotten something," Konami said. "And that's that I have more than one Effect monster on my field!"

He directed his finger back at Search Striker.

"My Red-Eyes Archfiend might've been stopped, but my Dark End Dragon won't be! Go on, Dark End Dragon, do your thing! _Dark Evaporation!_ "

 _Dark End Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (1600/1100)_

Gaping its jaws wide, the sinister serpent king breathed another wave of black fire from its gaping chest. It spread across Search Striker's body with ease, engulfing the warrior in its all-consuming flame and removing it from the field entirely.

"Ughk...!" Trudge hissed.

"And now that you've got no monsters protecting you, it's time we finished things off with my Battle Phase!" Konami shouted.

His three monsters growled in unison. Casting their gazes toward Mina's Slingshot, an eerie aura began to seep from their bodies, revealing their willingness to fight. The blue-haired Security Agent frowned as she gazed upon them, knowing that unless Trudge's cards were something more than a Pot of Greed, they'd lose on this very Turn!"

"Battle!" Konami growled, tightening his grip on Bessie's controls. "Red-Eyes Archfiend attacks you directly!"

The black archdemon roared viciously, sending its mighty echo across the empty highway. Sparks of electricity began to gather in its clawed hands, chirping with a thunderous crackle as its red light shivered and cracked. Raising the electrified hands above its head, Red-Eyes Archfiend gathered the bolts into a single red sphere, then launched the destructive device like a baseball, throwing it toward Trudge!

If it landed, Konami would be that much closer to victory; that much closer to securing his freedom!

Unfortunately, such things were still just out of reach.

"I've got a Trap card," Trudge shouted, revealing the second card he'd placed last Turn. "I activate... _Security Orb!_ "

A blaring siren filled the air as Trudge's card lifted itself face-up, and Konami watched in surprise as a floating red sphere burst from the card and charged straight into his Red-Eyes Archfiend's attack. Dispersing the electrical current as if it were nothing, the security orb emerged from the other side unscathed, then launched a wave of suppressive fire that forced the great demon to cross its arms and protect itself.

"What's this?!" Konami shouted, watching as his Duel Board registered a change in his Red-Eyes Archfiend's Battle Position. "My monster, it's been switched to Defense Mode!"

"That's the effect of my Security Orb!" Trudge explained. "When you declare an attack with a monster, I can activate this card to change that monster to Defense Position! That means that whatever attack it had launched is rendered moot, keeping my Life Points secure and my bacon safe!"

The blaring Security Orb lowered its lasers once it was clear Archfiend had been neutralized. It then spun around, returning to its card's artwork as it vanished from the field, job done.

"Maybe against my Red-Eyes Archfiend," Konami growled, furious at having his assault denied again, "but I still have two more monsters to attack you with! Go, Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon! Avenge Red-Eyes Archfiend's honor! _Inferno Fire Flare!_ "

Eager to act on the behalf of its master and fellow Red-Eyes, the four-winged dragon gaped its jaws to spew forth a wave of heat. Gathering the furious hellfire from within, it launched the torrent of flames outward in a stream of devastating power. It surged across the field dangerously, growing closer and closer to Mina's Slingshot until-!

"Trap Open!" Trudge interrupted, utilizing his third and final Trap. " _Security Orb!_ "

"You had two of them?!" Mina gasped in surprise.

Not that she was complaining, for as the floating red sphere blared across the field yet again, a crystallized energy field formed around its front, deflecting the waves of heat that burned from Black Flare's Dragons lips. Surging forward, the sphere began to lay down the law with another round of suppressive fire. A series of guided laser blasts fought back the burning dragon with ease, pushing it back onto its hind legs and forcing it to sweep its wings inward as a makeshift shield. Job done, the orb vanished into its card, which then left the field, just like before.

"Damn you, Trudge...!" Konami cursed.

"Heh, told you I'd get us through this!" the man told Mina, grinning in delight at pulling one over on his hated foe. "Now all you have to do is finish him off on your next Turn, and we'll be able to-"

"- _my Turn's not over yet, Trudge!_ " Konami interrupted with a heavy roar. His fists were coiled tightly around his Duel Runner's controls, pushing its speed higher and higher as he accelerated down the highway. "I still have one monster to attack you with, and this time, you don't have any Trap cards to stop me!"

Trudge cast an wide and angry glare back at Konami, only for it to meet the green-eyed gaze of Dark End Dragon instead.

 _"DARK FOG!_ " Konami screamed, his shout matched by Dark End's own treacherous roar as it spread its wings and surged forth. The shadows twitched and coiled around its mouth, serving as fuel for a deadly stream that poured forth upon the highway with deadly precision.

Trudge and Mina screamed as the black wave overtook them, holding onto whatever they could as their Slingshot spun and vibrated from the force of Konami's blow.

 _ **KONAMI - 850 LP  
MINA AND TRUDGE - 1100 LP**_

"This pressure...?!" Mina gasped, attempting to maintain control of the steering wheel as the Slingshot spun out, "It feels stronger than before?!"

That's because it was.

The power of the shadows flowed through Konami's veins, and at that moment, it was taking everything he had not to give in and unleash his full power!

 _"Do it!"_ the Shadow whispered in his ear, even now. _"Transform, and show these officers the majesty of the Dark Signers!_ "

 _'I don't need to,'_ Konami thought back, gripping his glowing Mark with a scowl. _'I've got everything I need to win, right here!'_

He rode his Duel Runner past the spinning Slingshot, locking eyes with a furious Trudge as Mina finally regained control of her vehicle.

"RED HAT!" he snarled, slamming his fist down on the Slingshot's dashboard. "Damn it, he pulled ahead of us!"

And with the Exit to the airport just a few minutes out, that was exactly how he liked it. There was no more time for hesitation. If he missed that exit, it was over! He needed to stay ahead of them from this point on, and more importantly, he had to finish the Duel before they reached the airfield!

"I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn!" Konami declared, sliding the last card he had into his Trap Zone.

"Quick Mina," Trudge shouted the moment he did, "After him!"

"I already know that!" The woman shouted back at him. "We have to finish this now, Trudge! Otherwise, he's going to escape!"

Smashing her foot on the accelerator, Mina grimaced as her Slingshot advanced. With its superior specs and state-of-the-art gear, it slowly began to close the gap between them and Konami, forcing the man to increase his own speed.

 _'No good,'_ Mina thought. _'If I'm going to catch him, I'll have to finish him off, first!'_

"It's my move!" she shouted.

 _'And with these cards,'_ she thought, drawing a new card and looking at it. _'It'll be the last!_ '

 _ **TURN ELEVEN - MINA - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1100 LP - 992 SPC**_

"I'm activating a Speed Spell," Mina explained, revealing one of the green cards in her hand. "Creeping Darkness!"

She slid the card into her Spell Zone, allowing its larger hologram form to appear on the field.

"When I have more than two Speed Counters, this card lets me banish two DARK monsters from my Graveyard!" she explained, removing both Steelswarm Sting and Steelswarm Caller from play. "Then, I get to add one Level Four DARK monster to my hand! The card I'm adding is this!"

She pulled a card from her Deck and revealed it to Konami.

"Steelswarm Gatekeeper!"

"That monster?" Konami inquired. "How's that going to help you?"

"It won't," Mina replied. "At least, not in the way you're thinking, which is why I'm going to get rid of it with another Speed Spell! My _Different Dimension Reincarnation!_ "

"D.D.R.?!" Konami gasped. "But that's the card that lets you Special Summon one of your banished monsters, isn't it?!"

"Exactly, and this Speed Spell version requires three Speed Counters and one discard to do it!" Mina explained. "So I'll discard the Steelswarm Gatekeeper I just added to my hand, and pay three Speed Counters, to bring back my Steelswarm Sting!"

A jagged tear suddenly cut through space-time as Mina played the card, granting her access into the different dimension's void. Materializing in a wave of strange colors and sounds, the tear grew wider and wider until finally, it was large enough for any kind of strange monster or being to walk through.

And one did.

Emerging through the tear with dark purpose, the black and overgrown bee that was Steelswarm Sting raised its stinger, ready to serve Mina once again in the name of selfish justice!

 _Steelswarm Sting - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1850/0)_

"That monster..." Konami murmured, a frown appearing on his face. _'That's the one that had the effect that destroyed Dark End last time! And she still has a card in her hand...'_

"Don't tell me," Konami murmured, "You're planning on Tributing it again!"

"That's right!" Mina shouted, doing just that as she removed Sting from her Monster Zone to play her last card. "I sacrifice my Steelswarm Sting, sending it back to the Graveyard to call forth...my _Steelswarm Moth!_ "

"Ugh...!" Konami winced, tightening his control as a pulse ran across the field from Steelswarm Sting's sudden destruction. Like before, a swirling black portal had emerged from within it, growing in size and power so as to allow an even stronger monster to take its place. Before it did, however...

"Steelswarm Sting's effect activates!" Mina said. "Since it was removed from the field, a Ritual, Fusion, or Synchro monster is destroyed!"

Her hand fell accusingly upon Konami's Dark End Dragon.

"Your dragon is a goner, say goodbye!"

Dark End screamed as its body shattered like glass, transforming into harmless petals of light that dissolved into the sky.

"Alright!" Trudge cheered. "We've got this, we've got this, _we've got this!_ "

"Yes, we do, because now my Steelswarm Moth takes to the field!" Mina continued.

The portal summoned through Sting's sacrifice suddenly pulsed and grew even wider. The roar and buzz of the many Steelswarms who resided within echoed out into the highway, only to suddenly settle down as a single scream roared out louder than the rest. With a single hum, a large, muscular figure stepped out from the portal.

Bearing the black exoskeleton of the Steelswarms, its green underskin rippled and pulsed with unseen power. Four long, black wings hung down from its shoulders like a cape, littered with intricate designs and circles than ran across their form. A long, winding tail extended down from the fiend's rear, and it lifted upward with a soft hiss, stretching above Moth's horned, and square-like head.

 _Steelswarm Moth - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2400/0)_

"Steelwarm Moth...? It's stats don't look so impressive..." Konami murmured.

"Maybe not," Mina agreed, "but it's special effect is!"

"Let me guess," he asked her. "It gains an effect when Tribute Summoned with a "Steelswarm" monster?"

"That's right," she nodded, "and this one will have you begging for mercy! When Steelswarm Moth is Tribute Summoned with a Steelswarm, I can pay one thousand Life Points to target up to two cards you control and return them to your hand! You only have two monsters left on the field...which means that after this, you'll be wide open!"

Moth screamed as its effect activated, sending a ripple of glass-shattering vibrations down the highway. Archfiend and Black Flare Dragon roared out in pain upon hearing the terrible sounds, and their bodies began to vanish, transforming into small spheres of light that flew down into Konami's hands.

"Guh...!" Konami grimaced, staring at the cards uneasily.

"Yes!" Trudge said, pumping his fist even as their Life Points fell. "We've got him on the ropes!"

 _ **KONAMI - 850 LP  
MINA AND TRUDGE - 100 LP**_

"And now that you're wide open, it's time to finish this!" Mina shouted, swinging out her hand. "Steelswarm Moth..."

The demonic insect growled as it listened to her words.

"Attack Konami directly!"

Obeying her command, Steelswarm Moth knelt down and tested its four, long and narrow wings. They buzzed to life as one, rising upward and granting Moth air mobility with which it could finish the Duel once and for all! Locking eyes with the red-capped Duelist it was to assault, Moth curled its hands into a pair of tightly knitted fists. It then launched itself forward, rearing its right hand back to deliver a powerful blow!

Konami watched as the monster closed in.

It had been a long battle, but they were finally here.

His monsters were vaniqushed, resources, gone. Just like Mina and Trudge, he put everything he had into putting them down, and this was the result. He closed his eyes, and let out a long and steady breath.

It had been close, but...

He made it.

His eyes snapped open, lit with a fiery determination that could no longer be quelled!

 _"I activate my Trap card, Wicked Rebirth!"_

His last card flipped face-up, revealing the artwork of his new signature card reviving behind a spiky-haired Duelist.

"No!" Trudge shouted.

"Yes!" Konami shouted, even as Moth drew closer and closer to his position. "Wicked Rebirth's effect activates! By paying eight hundred Life Points, a Synchro monster from my Graveyard is revived!"

"What?!" Mina gasped, "But you only have one Synchro monster!"

"Indeed," he confirmed, "and it's the same one your Sting destroyed just a moment ago! So please, welcome back..."

A golden light burst forth from the card in the form of a single monster.

"...my Dark End Dragon!"

The light shattered like a broken shell, and from within, Konami's black dragon emerged!

 _Dark End Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (2600/2100)_

"No, it can't be!" Mina gasped.

She had no cards left in her hand; no monsters on her field or in their Graveyard that could turn this back around!

"Due to the effect of Wicked Rebirth, I can't activate my Dark End Dragon's effect..." Konami replied, watching as his Life Points fell to a meager fifty. "However, given these circumstances, I think we both know it doesn't need to."

"Ugh...oooho...!"

"Mina, it's alright!" Trudge told her, "We can still win this-"

"No, you can't, because it's my Turn now!" Konami shouted, drawing a card.

 _ **TURN TWELVE - KONAMI - ONE CARD IN HAND - 50 LP - 995 SPC**_

"Dark End Dragon..." he commanded.

The wicked Synchro growled softly.

"Attack Steelswarm Moth, and end this Duel! _BAD END BLASTER!_ "

Gaping both its jaws wide open, Dark End releasing two streams of black fire that condensed into a single smoking sphere. Growing until it was the twice the size of the monster itself, the sphere rocketed forward, driving straight toward Mina's last remaining monster.

"Damn it," she hissed, watching as her Moth was consumed by the blazing sphere.

" _DAMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!"_

The attack consumed her Slingshot, their Life Points...hit Zero.

 _ **KONAMI - 50 LP  
MINA AND TRUDGE - 0 LP**_

" _G-GWUAGH!"_ Trudge coughed as the Slingshot spun out, battered and worn from Dark End's attack. "S-Shit!"

Mina grimaced, eyes squinting as she spun her steering wheel and steadied the vehicle.

"He beat us!" she spat, slamming her fist on the dash once she'd ensured they wouldn't flip. "He beat _both_ of us! What are we supposed to-!"

"Don't worry about that right now," Trudge told her, pointing forward. "It doesn't matter if we lost the Duel! We're still in a faster vehicle! If we can't stop him with a Duel, we'll just have to run him off the road!"

"T-Trudge?!" Mina asked, caught off-guard. "What are you saying?!"

"I'm saying, we use the PIT maneuver!" Trudge repeated. "You wanted answers right? Well, if he leaves the city, we won't be getting any! I'm with you either way, but you need to make a decision about what we're gonna do, and you need to do it now!"

Mina frowned.

It's true. She wanted answers, she wanted to know what happened Downtown and why it did, but - hadn't they made a deal? She'd lost the Duel, and with it, the right to demand anything of Konami! She knew that, she did, and yet...!

"I want to catch him," she admitted. "And make him reveal everything until I'm satisfied!"

Trudge grinned.

"Then smash that gas," he told her. "Because we've still got time!"

And they did.

While their defeat had cost them a minute or so, their Slingshot was still in good condition, and more importantly, superior to Konami's own junk-faced Duel Runner! The Exit to the airport was only a mile or two out, and even if Konami successfully took it, he still had to make it to the airfield! In other words, if they brought his Duel Runner to a halt before he could board whatever flight he was taking, then they won.

They couldn't count on Sector Security's help on this. There would be no delay in flights, spike traps laid to catch Konami off-guard. All they had was their Slingshot...

But that would be enough.

"We're going!" Mina shouted, eyes brimming once more with determination.

She pressed her foot down on the gas, sending a plume of smoke up from the vehicle's exhaust. Burning rubber, the Slingshot flew down the highway, speeding toward the Duel Runner that had almost disappeared into the distance.

They would catch that crook, or die trying!

Unfortunately, Konami spotted their approach in his side mirror. Narrowing his eyes in annoyance, he twisted the throttle, accelerating his own vehicle toward its max speed.

But it wouldn't be enough.

Like Mina had said, her transformable Slingshot was state-of-the-art! Compared to that, Enzo's Bessie was way outclassed! In no time at all, they would catch him, and drag him back into a Duel, or worse - cut him off!

It only took a moment for the Slingshot to pull up beside him, lights blaring as Mina and Trudge glared at him from inside.

"Pull over, Konami!" Mina shouted. "I'm changing the terms of our deal!"

"...kh!" Konami spat. "Changing the terms? Don't you have any pride as a Duelist?!"

"My pride as a Security Agent comes first!" she replied, "And it's demanding that I stop things here! Now pull over, before I make you!"

"Make me?" Konami asked with a frown. "What's that supposed to mean...?"

"We both know what it means, Konami!" Trudge joined in. "If you don't wanna get hurt, I suggest you do what Mina says!"

"Sorry, but I refuse!" Konami replied. "I already told you, I have my reasons for leaving the city, and I won't let you delay me any longer!"

"Then...forgive me, but you've left me no choice!" Mina said. Spinning her steering wheel, she swung her Slingshot toward Bessie, intending on using its superior weight and power to drive the old Duel Runner off the road.

Konami called out in shock as he saw her move, and he quickly let up on the throttle to let them swing through an empty space in front of him.

"What the hell was that?!" he roared at them. "You don't like what I have to say, so you're just gonna force me off the road?!"

"Shut up!" Mina shouted, swinging the Slingshot toward him again as she spoke. "You're the one who's making me do this!"

"I'm not making you do anything!" Konami shouted, dodging once more.

"Kuh...he's a persistent one!" Trudge glowered. "Here," he said, putting one hand on the steering wheel. "Let me try!"

He turned the wheel to the right, curving the Slingshot into a half-spin that took up half the road. Konami grimaced as he swerved to the left, just barely missing them as he cut through the open space and took the lead.

"Damn...!"

"Get off!" Mina spat, knocking his hand aside as she took back the wheel.

Konami grimaced, watching as Mina righted the vehicle and began chasing him down again. He had to admit, the girl had balls. He never expected her to try and ram him off the road. Had Trudge talked her into it? It would be just like the man; he knew how to be rough while pursuing, years of service in Satellite had ensured that! Still, knowing that did nothing to help Konami. If he left things as they were, it was only a matter of time until they finally hit him and ruined everything! He had to do something, but what?!

 _"Summon,"_ the Shadow whispered in his ear. _"Summon a monster. A powerful one! Attack them with your rage! Throw them off the road, just like they tried to do to you!"_

No.

Even if they were annoying him, endangering his life, he didn't want Mina or Trudge hurt. He just wanted them to back off for a bit. To hold off on their interrogation until he could get things figured out...! Unfortunately, it seemed like they were intent on forcing his hand.

The Slingshot pulled up beside him once more.

"This time, you're mine!" Mina shouted.

She swerved her vehicle into Konami's, and this time, he wasn't fast enough.

With a loud clang, their Runners crashed against one another, sending up a flurry of sparks between them as they continued to accelerate down the road.

"Are you mad?!" Konami shouted. "You'll crash us both!"

"If that's what it'll take to stop you, then so be it!" Mina replied. She swerved her Slingshot away from Konami's then brought it crashing back into it again.

"Ugh...!" Konami winced, feeling his runner shift to the side. "Not good!"

 _"And it's going to get even worse if you don't do something!"_ the Shadow taunted.

"I know that, but...!" he shut his eyes, "But I don't want to hurt-!"

 _"It doesn't matter what you want. What matters is what you need!"_ the Shadow interrupted, _"And right now, what you need is to escape these clowns! So are you going to fight, or are you going to let them ram you off the road like some kind of buffoon?!"_

"I...!" Konami grimaced. "I...! I'll...!"

Mina swerved in for another attack.

 _"I'll fight!"_ Konami decided, and he drew a card.

"You brought this upon yourselves," Konami told the two Securities as he placed the card upon Bessie's Duel Board. " _I summon Dark Valkyria!_ "

Like a ghost come to life, the tall figure of the silver-haired Valkyrie emerged from nothing, appearing above Konami's Duel Runner on her black wings of steel. Curling her fingers inside her bladed black gauntlets, she cast her red eyes across the highway and took in the severity of the situation.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Warrior - (1800/1050)_

"He summoned a Duel Monster, now?!" Trudge asked incredulously. "How's that supposed to help? In case you haven't noticed brat, we're not dueling right now!"

"No," Konami agreed, "but you'll soon find that my Valkyria is dangerous all the same! You'll regret pushing me to do this, Trudge!"

He flourished his hand in the air dramatically before letting it fall upon the approaching Slingshot.

"Dark Valkyria," he commanded, "attack the Slingshot directly! Cut their wheels down to size!"

 _"YES!"_ Valkyria acknowledged, lunging toward the Slingshot to obey. She used her steel wings to close the distance between them in an instant, then swooped down until she was but inches away from the concrete. After doing so, she lined herself up with the Slingshot's rear wheel and raised her right fist as if preparing to strike.

"What?!" Mina gasped. glancing at the armored woman with the sideview mirror. "An attack?!"

"But Konami's not a Psychic Duelist!" Trudge sputtered. "It won't do any-!"

" _DIE!"_ Dark Valkyria roared, interrupting Trudge's ignorant assumption with a grin as she punched her fist forward.

Letting it fly through the air just inches away from the tire, Valkyria let her bladed gauntlet do the work for her; and what a job it did. Like a knife through butter, it cleaved through the Slingshot's rear wheel, cutting the object in two and dropping the entire back half of the vehicle's main body to the road.

Trudge and Mina cried out in shock as they suddenly lost control of the car. A flurry of sparks and flames lit up behind them, but before they could respond, the winged shadow of Dark Valkyria descended again!

 _"Take some more!"_ she shouted, leaning herself backward and using her metal greaves to grind across the road toward the front left wheel. Before Mina could do anything to stop her, she had already swung her fist yet again, slashing through the second wheel so it too would break down.

"W-What the hell is this?!" Trudge shouted as the Slingshot tilted, its left side following the back into skidding against the asphalt. "We're taking damage?! The Duel Monster is causing real damage?!"

 _'I knew it!'_ Mina thought, vindicated even as she tried to maintain control of the Slingshot. _'This explains it! Why the Duel Downtown caused so much damage! Konami, and whoever he was dueling that night, can make damage real, just like a Psychic Duelist! No, even more than that! This Valkyria of his, it's as if the actual monster's come to life! If his did that with a big enough monster...!_ '

It was all falling into place.

And so was Valkyria's assault.

 _"This...will end it!"_ Valkyria snarled, slashing through their final tire.

The Slingshot collapsed to the ground helplessly as she did, erupting into flames and sparks as it slid against the hard, gritty surface. Trudge and Mina cried out in shock and fear as they gazed upon the blazing flames, but Konami wasn't done with them yet.

"Now, the coup de grace!" he shouted, flinging his hand forward one last time. "Make sure they stop safely, Valkyria!"

The winged woman cursed but obeyed, soaring forward to do just that. Landing in front of the burning Slingshot, she proceeded to glare at the two Securities dangerously. They looked back at her fearfully, as if afraid she'd run them through, only to watch in shock as she drove her armored hands through the vehicle's headlights instead. Using the busted holes as handles, Valkyria then slammed her armored feet onto the road, using her own terrible might to try and bring the vehicle to a safe stop.

Sparks flew up from her feet as she attempted to do so, showering her with their fiery particles and scorching her exposed skin . Despite this, she continued on, using all of her effort and willpower to endure and fulfill her sworn duty.

With one last annoyed curse, she finally punched the vehicle's front, denting it inward and bringing it to a fierce and violent halt. Trudge and Mina felt their bodies fly forward from the sudden stop, only for their seatbelts to lash them backward into their seats. The many sparks and small flames flickered out of existence as motion ceased, and before long, they were finally safe; stopped by the center railing just beside the Airport Exit.

"It...It saved us," Mina breathed in relief, only to feel her breath hitch as a familiar Duel Runner pulled up alongside them.

"What? Did you think I'd have her destroy you, instead?" Konami inquired, stomping his foot down onto the ground as he climbed off Bessie.

"K-KONAMI!" Trudge roared, preparing to climb out the vehicle and confront the man. "This was a prototype vehicle! Do you have any idea how much it costs?!"

"Not my problem," Konami replied. "I'm not the one who took it on an unlicensed joyride, now was I?"

" _Oof!_ " Trudge grumbled, doubling over as if he'd been struck.

"Your monster's attacks..." Mina said, focusing on something else, "they were real. Is that how the destruction happened? You were dueling another person who could make real monsters? A Psychic, perhaps? A leftover from the Arcadia Movement, or-"

"Valkyria, the engine."

"...?!" Mina's eyes widened at the words, and she cast her gaze forward just in time to watch the monster rip through their hood.

Having exposed the inner workings of the machine, Dark Valkyria leaned down and tore the mighty W16 from its bindings. Lifting it above her head, she proceeded to fling it upward, then fired a crimson bolt that obliterated the device completely. A wave of engine fluid rained down onto the highway as a result, showering the area with blue, red, and even black liquid. The remains of the device then landed with a loud crash, and Valkyria drove her foot through it, making it devastating clear to the duo that - well, they were done.

Her mission fulfilled, she then floated back to Konami's Duel Runner, where she hovered harmlessly, awaiting further orders.

"That...was a forty two thousand dollar engine..." Trudge whispered, "...with turbochargers."

"And now, it's a hunk of junk. Perfectly suited for a guy like you," Konami replied.

Trudge closed his eyes, no doubt attempting to hold back whatever rage was flowing through him at that moment. Before long, however, he could no longer hold the floodgates back. With a scream of "RED HAT!", he leapt out the Slingshot's busted remains, intent on slugging Konami in the face!

A bad move.

Taking his movement as one of violence, Dark Valkyria swung forward, bringing her bladed gauntlet a mere centimeter from the man's neck. Stunned by the monster's incredible speed, and perhaps remembering what she just did to his ride, Trudge stilled.

"W-Whoa now!" Trudge said softly, raising his hands in surrender. "Let's keep it cool. You wouldn't hurt your ol' pal Trudge, would you?"

"I might," Konami growled. "You two did just try to ram me off the road. So forgive me if I'm not feeling particularly 'cool' right now."

He ripped his gaze from Trudge and began boring holes into Mina's face.

"I told you to let me go. That I would tell you everything you needed and wanted to know later," he growled, fury growing by the second. "Despite that, you still pursued me anyway. With no authority, with no probable cause, you assaulted me with a Sector Security vehicle and tried to run me off the road!"

Mina winced. She knew she had done wrong, even if she felt it was in the name of justice.

But Konami wasn't done.

"I could sue you," he told her. "And I could win. I'd have your jobs, your money, and you'd be thrown into Satellite...or worse, on the street. Is that what I should do, Mina? Should I file a lawsuit? A complaint to Lazar? Tell me! What should I do about your attempt on my life, Mina?!"

"H-Hold on!" Trudge shouted. "I was the one who told her to do it, Red Hat! If you're going to hold someone responsible, it should be me-!"

 _"Ho?"_ Dark Valkyria inquired, grabbing the man by the collar and smashing him against the busted Slingshot. Her right arm reared back, and her hand curled into a deadly fist. _"Are you saying you'll take responsibility? Are you saying it's fine to send you to Valhalla?!"_

"Konami, your monster..." Trudge whispered.

"That's enough, Valkyria." Konami said, "There's been enough violence here today."

 _"Tch,"_ Valkyria spat, releasing Trudge with a shove.

"You two should count yourselves lucky," Konami told Mina and Trudge. "Anyone else, and you might've had an actual problem on your hands."

"Anyone else and we might not have lost..." Trudge mumbled, rubbing his neck soothingly.

"Trudge," Mina warned.

Konami ignored him.

"Now what's going to happen here, is that I'm going to start up my Duel Runner and take this goddamned Exit so I can go catch my flight," Konami told them. "Then, when I get back to this city, we can all sit down and discuss this situation like civilized people! There won't be any dueling, there won't be any fighting, and there _damned_ sure won't be any goddamned vehicle collisions!"

Mina and Trudge were silent.

"Now I'm going to let you two go, and you can call Lazar, or Dispatch, or who the hell ever you need to so you can say whatever the hell you need to in order to explain all this," Konami continued, gesturing around him at the destruction. "Do we have a deal?"

Mina and Trudge continued to stay silent.

Konami's eyes widened.

"I said," he repeated, dangerously this time. " _Do we have a deal?"_

"...Yes." Mina said finally, averting her gaze with a scowl.

"Good," Konami said, turning on his heel.

 _"Odin owns ye all now,"_ Dark Valkyria jabbed.

"And that's enough out of you!" he added, removing the card from Bessie's Duel Board.

The Valkyrie shouted as her body faded from existence, and Konami climbed back onto the Duel Runner, then sped away.

"S-Shit!" Trudge cursed, smashing his fists together as he watched him leave. "He got us!"

"At least we got one piece of information," Mina murmured. "Konami can make real monsters."

"Just like a Psychic Duelist," Trudge spat. "Feh, I knew there was something shady about him!"

"Still," Mina murmured, "Odin owns ye all? I know Valkyries are from Norse Mythology, but...really?"

"What?" Trudge wondered.

"That monster," she explained. "You didn't hear what it said?"

Trudge blinked in confusion.

"What it said?" he asked. "But Mina, that monster... It didn't say one word the whole goddamn time."

* * *

 _ **Chapter Fifteen - END**_

* * *

 _"So, you actually made it!"_

 _Successfully defeating the duo of Mina and Trudge, Konami pulls into the private jet just in time to depart New Domino City. He joins Chazz in the seating room and tries to relax, but suddenly, he finds himself joined by Alexis' old groupies, Jasmine and Mindy! Learning they've been sticking around with Chazz ever since he hit it big, the four decide to compete in a playing mat Tag Match to prepare for the coming fight!_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: No Stakes? No Problem! Thunder Strikes!**_

 _"Crash the plane, Konami! DO IT NOW!"_

* * *

 **Read and Review!**


	16. No Stakes? No Problem! Thunder Strikes!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"Dark End Dragon, attack!"_

 _Making use of his brand new Synchro Monster, Konami wages a devastating counterattack on Mina and Trudge! Overcoming their various strategies while using one of his own, he finally manages to defeat the pair with one last attack! But, just when he thought it was over, a new battle takes place!_

 _"Forgive me, but you've left me no choice!"_

 _Using the Slingshot's superior speed, Mina catches up to the fleeing Red Hat and tries to ram him off the road! As his patience wears thin, Konami decides that enough is enough! He calls forth one of his monsters, and uses its power to put a stop to Mina's illegal maneuvers!_

 _"DIE!"_

 _With Dark Valkyria's help, he destroys the Slingshot's tires and engines, forcing the two Securities into giving up the chase. With no obstacles left before him, Konami now enters New Domino's private airfield, where Chazz Princeton's jet awaits..._

* * *

 _ **Chapter Sixteen**_

* * *

 _ **No Stakes? No Problem! Thunder Strikes!**_

* * *

"Heh, so you actually made it. Cutting it rather close there, Red Hat. I was about have them call the whole thing off and leave!"

Konami glanced at Chazz as he powered down Beloved Bessie, removing the keys to shut off the engine.

"Sorry," he apologized, knocking out the kickstand as he climbed off the Duel Runner. "There was a...disturbance."

"A disturbance?" Chazz wrinkled his nose at the strange term. "Whatever, Kaibaman."

He stepped past Konami and pressed a button on the cargo bay wall. The entrance to the jet's interior began to close as a result, blocking out the sunlight and dousing them with the artificial light hanging from the bay's ceiling.

"When you're done playing with that toy of yours, come see me upstairs." Chazz ordered, swooping around on his heel to start climbing the steps to the lounging hall. "We have a lot to go over before we hit Naples, and like I said, we're leaving any minute."

"I'll be right there," Konami promised, kneeling down to tie Bessie in place. There was no telling what kind of turbulence they'd experience in the air, and the last thing Konami needed was to have Enzo yelling at him for banging up his beloved Duel Runner.

 _'I'd never hear the end of it,'_ he thought with a sigh as he locked down the final strap. Pulling himself upright, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced around. For a private jet, he had to admit, Chazz sure did have a lot of cargo.

Hundreds of bags and suitcases lined the walls, packed down in giant squares of rope and shipping crates. Konami knew Chazz had high standards, he'd seen as much back when the man remodeled part of the Slifer Red Dorm a long time ago, but even for him, this was a little...

 _"Obnoxious?"_ the Shadow asked, appearing in the corner of the dark bay. _"That Chazz sure does have a bad attitude. We should punish him for it, beat him and break him until he-"_

Konami turned to climb the steps.

 _"Stop!"_ the Shadow called after him, _"Where do you think you're going?! You can't turn away from me! I'm talking to you!"_

Konami ignored it. Pulling open the door that led further into the jet, he stepped through and closed it behind him, intent of leaving the Shadow in the darkness of the cargo bay. Of course, nothing was ever that easy.

 _"You can't just ignore me, Konami!"_ The Shadow hissed, waiting for him at the top of the stairs _"I'm a part of you now. We are one, you and I! You'll have to accept me eventually! And when you do, we'll finally be able to fulfill our destiny!"_

"Of making you shut up?" Konami inquired.

 _"Oh, I'm sure you would like that, wouldn't you? But no. There will be no shutting up,"_ the Shadow explained while drifting around him. _"Quite the opposite, in fact. There will be screams! Cries of fear and horror as I, the mighty Wiraqocha Rasca, rise to take to the skies anew! And none shall be able to stop me, for I am the greatest and most glorious Immortal, of whom there is no equal! And the world shall be showered in darkness, all shall kneel before my glory, just as they did so very long ago!"_

"I won't let that happen," Konami replied with a shake of his head, stepping past the Shadow to continue further up the stairs.

 _"You speak as if you have a choice,"_ the Shadow said. _"You don't. The moment you were Marked by my seal, your destiny was decided! You will become my vessel of darkness, and you shall stand over the corpses of the Signers, and pledge allegiance to my greatness! I have seen this...and your little Hummingbird friend did too."_

"Yeah, and you know what else she saw?" Konami asked it. "Her beating me! And guess what Rasca, that didn't happen, and neither will this."

 _"We shall see, Konami..."_ it whispered, its body starting to fade away. _"We shall see..."_

"No, we won't." He replied, "Because once I get to Nazca, I'm going to find a way to silence you, permanently if need be! No more hallucinations, no more whispers...! Just me, myself, and I...like a mind's supposed to be!"

"Who are you talking to down there?!" the voice of Chazz asked loudly from above. "You better not be on a phone, Konami! Don't you realize that that could kill us all?!"

Rolling his eyes at Chazz's words - honestly, they hadn't even started moving yet -, Konami shook his head and continued up the last few flight of steps. He pulled open the door to the seating room, and felt his eyes bulge.

Unlike the cargo bay, which looked a little wide if not normal for an airplane, the seating room was, well...incredible! If it weren't for the fact that he literally just drove in from the outside, why, Konami would be hard-pressed to believe he was on a plane at all! A pair of smooth leather couches lined the center of the room, separated by a sleek glass table that held a pair of wine glasses and a bowl of assorted fruits. Various paintings lined the walls above the doors leading further into the jet, detailing Chazz's own spiky-haired face, as well as those of his less-beloved brothers. What really drew Konami's gaze, however, was the pool table in the back right, which was currently being used by a pair of two vaguely familiar women.

Konami's eyes drifted toward Chazz, who was draped lazily across the couch on his right. They then shifted back to the two women, one of whom growled angrily after watching the other knock a ball in the hole.

"No," he breathed.

"What?" Chazz asked, glancing up from where he'd been toying with several of the bowled apples and strawberries. His gaze followed Konami's over to the two women, and his face twisted into some expression that laid between being embarrassed and annoyed.

"Oh," he muttered, swinging his legs off the couch. "So you saw them, huh? Yeah, I brought two along for the ride, what of it?!"

"Why?" Konami asked. "How, even? I know they were tight with Alexis, but I didn't think you ran in the same circles as well!"

"Hah!" one of the girls, a brunette dressed in a fashionable blue dress, laughed. "Don't you get it? It's because we're close with Alexis that he invited us!"

"Like, obviously!" her companion, a black-haired person in a similar expensive dress, agreed. "Even after all these years, it's obvious he's still head over heels for her! The only reason he brought us along was so he could try and win a few brownie points!"

"S-Shaddap!" Chazz shouted, glaring at the girls as they finished up their game. "He didn't need to know that! You could've just told him we were working together or something!"

"Puh-lease," the brunette admonished, setting aside her cue so she could fold her arms. "As if I'd ever be caught working for the Princeton Group. My life in the world of fashion is just far too glamorous to give up, especially to serve as a sleazebag like you!"

"Jasmine, we promised we'd be nice!" Her companion, Mindy Hamaguchi, reminded.

She, along with Jasmine Makurada, were some of Alexis' closest friends back at the academy, serving as her groupies - and often cheerleaders - whenever she found herself caught in a decent Duel. Konami had never really been that close with either of them, partly in fact due to the difference in their ranks, but he never recalled being particularly insulted or berated by them either. Out of all the Obelisks back at school, they were some of the more mild-mannered ones, although Jasmine had been a little rude back in their first year.

Regardless, a friend of Alexis' was a friend of his, so Konami decided to treat them amicably, at least until they gave him reason to do otherwise.

"So," Jasmine said, strutting across the space between them to size Konami up, "how's one of the school's two Super Slackers been doing lately? Still holding up in your room, cooking Golden Egg Sandwiches all day?"

"If only," Konami replied. "I've actually been quite busy lately."

"I can tell," Mindy stated, joining them. "Just look at all those stress lines on his face, Jasmine! He could really use a vacation!"

"Well, not everyone can have Chazz 'the Spazz' Princeton pay for an overseas getaway. Some of us have to work for a living." Jasmine turned to stare at Konami, "What are you even doing now, anyway? The last time we saw you was at Graduation, and you and Jaden just suddenly dipped out and never came back!"

"Well, I can't speak for Jaden, but I..." Konami scratched the back of his neck nervously. "I've been..."

What did he say?

What did he tell them?

Did he explain how he hadn't really been doing anything? How he'd been drifting around as a Duelist-for-Hire, scraping by on whatever Depii he could earn until finding himself caught up in New Domino City's problems? Perhaps he'd tell them about his various encounters with Sector Security and the Arcadia Movement, or how he'd blown it all losing to Akiza of all people during New Domino City's esteemed Fortune Cup! Or maybe...

Maybe he'd speak of his current troubles, of the approaching battle with _alien_ Duel Spirits, and the eldritch being behind them!

 _"Oh yes, do that!"_ the Shadow whispered in his ear. _"I'm sure they'd love to hear about your twisted tale of time travelling nonsense! They'd laugh you right off the plane!"_

Konami frowned.

"Whoa, nice tat!" Mindy said, smiling as she examined his Mark of the Shadows. "Did you design it yourself?!"

"Careful," Konami said, quickly but calmly pulling it from her view. "It's fresh."

"Sooo what? You're some sort of tattoo artist now?" Jasmine inquired. "Not quite what I expected from you, but hey! If it works, it works, right?"

"...Yeah," Konami agreed.

"Tsk," Chazz snorted. "Tattoo artist? Yeah, right! This loser's been doing nothing but causing me trouble!"

"Aww, don't be like that Chazz!" Mindy complained. "Weren't you the one who was talking about how happy he was that Konami decided to help you out over in Naples? I remember you were cheering about it all the way here!"

"Oh, is that right?" Konami inquired, shooting Chazz with a taunting grin. "You were cheering, Chazz? Truly?"

"S-Shaddap, Red Hat! Don't forget," he growled, "this is just payback for all my earlier favors! And for flying you to Nazca after this, too!"

"You're going to Nazca?!" Jasmine asked, "Like, the desert, in Peru? _Why?_ "

"It's...personal." Konami explained.

"Well, whatever floats your boat, I guess." She shrugged, "but I don't think I'd ever be caught dead in a desert! It'd be way too hot, and that'd do horrible things to my skin."

"Like, right?" Mindy agreed. "Besides, we're like, totally hot enough, as is!"

"Oh, whatever!" said Chazz, "You two couldn't top Five Most Fabulous if your lives depended upon it!"

"H-Hey!" Jasmine shouted.

"That's not a very nice thing to say, Chazz!" Mindy added.

"Yeah," agreed Jasmine. "And I bet Alexis wouldn't be too happy to know you were insulting her friends like that!"

The reminder of why he'd brought them along made Chazz's eyes widened, and he hastily raised his hands in defeat.

"W-Wait, I take it back!" he apologized. "You two are plenty hot, the hottest even! You could win any competition you wanted to, I bet! Just...please don't tell Alexis I said that!"

Konami stared at him with dead eyes.

"Oh, I don't know..." Mindy murmured, tapping her chin. "I'm not sure I'm too keen on hiding things from my friends!"

"Yeah," Jasmine nodded, "What are you gonna do to make it up to us?"

"Make it up to you?!" Chazz snarled, "I'm already paying for your vacation to Naples!"

"Yeah," she began, "but now that I think about it, every vacation needs a shopping trip, right?"

"What?!"

"Oh yeah, like, a girl's gotta have a clothes!" Mindy agreed.

"WHAT?!"

"Top of the line clothes require top of the line payments so..." Jasmine hummed, "I think another ten thousand U.S. Dollars oughta cover it!"

" _WHAT?!"_

"Each!" Mindy said, pouncing.

"A-ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Chazz roared. "THERE'S NO WAY I'M GIVING YOU TWO THAT MUCH!"

Jasmine pulled out her phone and held it up to her ear.

"Oh, what's that Alexis?" she said, "You wanted to know how our vacation with Chazz was? Well, let me give you a list of all the bad things he's done-"

" _Ughk!_ " Chazz winced, "Alright, alright, I get it! I'll...I'll give you the money!"

"Uh, Chazz. You sure about this?" Konami asked him. He knew Chazz had a lot of money, not only being a Pro Duelist but belonging to the Princeton Group as well, but...

"I-It's fine!" Chazz hissed, glaring at the girls through one open eye. "I'll take it out of my retirement fund!"

"Ka-Ching!" Jasmine grinned, pumping her fist. "High-end Shopping, here we come!"

"Oh yeah!" Mindy cheered happily.

The two turned to each other and high-fived, leaving Chazz to sigh in defeat as he slumped down into the couch.

"You two are gonna make me go broke..." he complained.

"Weak, Chazz..." Konami said with a shake of his head, "Much too weak..."

"Y-You try having the fate of your love life in the hands of these girls, damn it!" Chazz complained.

Konami smirked at him, "Heh, I don't need to, because unlike you, I've got my love life completely under control."

"Oh?" Mindy asked, clasping her hands together with a swoon. "You're dating now?! Who is it?!"

"Anyone we know?!" Jasmine inquired, seemingly just as interested.

Caught off-guard by their interest, Konami took a wary step backward.

"Well, I...it's a little, uh..."

"Oh, come on, you've gotta tell us!" Mindy insisted.

"Yeah, you can't just leave us hanging like this!" Jasmine agreed.

"Uh, Chazz? A little help here?" Konami asked, only to receive a nasty smirk in reply.

"Heh, serves you right, Red Hat!" he said, leaning his feet up on the table as he took a strawberry to eat. "Nobody laughs at the Chazz."

"Ugh...Ugh...!" Konami frowned, sweating as the two girls cornered him. " _Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"_

And so, the long interrogation began.

 _ **-TF2-**_

 _"ATTENTION PASSENGERS, WE ARE NOW LEAVING NEW DOMINO AIRSPACE. OUR ESTIMATED TIME TILL ARRIVAL IN NAPLES, ITALY IS - FOURTEEN HOURS, FIFTY THREE MINUTES - WITH - ONE STOP - IN BETWEEN. YOU ARE NOW FREE TO ROAM AS YOU PLEASE."_

As the buzz of the intercom snapped off, Konami drowsily opened his eyes to find himself strapped in to one of the luxury chairs. What had that thing just said? That they'd left New Domino Airspace?

When?

 _How?!_

"Well, look who's back in the land of the living," Chazz mocked from the couch.

Konami groaned as he leaned upright and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"What happened?" He asked, "How long was I out?"

"About thirty minutes, maybe a little less." Chazz revealed, "You kinda passed out while Mindy and Jasmine had their way with you."

"Ugh..." Konami grunted, recalling their interrogation.

Their sparkling eyes, their fast-paced demands for information...

Mina and Trudge could stand to learn a thing or two.

"They're monsters," Konami breathed, unbuckling his seatbelt to rise to his feet. "And I can't believe you left me with them."

"Feh, and bring their attention back to myself? No thanks," Chazz huffed. "I've already given them enough money."

"Yeah," Konami agreed, "a couple twenty thousand too much! Are you really that desperate to get on Alexis' good side? Because if we're being honest, I really don't think-"

"Shaddap, I didn't ask for your opinion!" Chazz interrupted folding his arms. "The only reason you're here is to help me win a Duel, so unless you've got some advice about that, you can keep your thoughts to yourself!"

 _'I just gonna say that you're already in her good graces,'_ Konami thought angrily, but shook it off.

"Fine, whatever. You've _clearly_ got things under control," he told Chazz, glancing at the two girls in the corner as they poured themselves something that, from the looks of it, appeared to be an expensive bottle of wine.

" _Ah...!_ " Chazz gasped, catching sight of them doing so, "That's Jagger's Caerbent Sauvignon...! That's nearly a thousand dollars! _HEY!_ "

Shaking his head as Chazz rushed over to them, Konami took a spot on the couch and grabbed his Deck. Since he had a long flight ahead of him, he figured he might as well make like his monsters and do a little Tuning-!

 _"Oooh! You wanna have a Duel?_ " Mindy asked, taking Chazz's seat.

"W-What?" Konami asked.

"Oh, don't you 'what' me, mister! You heard what I said." She huffed, "So? How about it? Wanna Get Your Game On? Throw Down? _D-D-D-DUEL?!_ "

 _"Oh?_ " He replied. "You're challenging me, Mindy? Instead of enjoying this flight, you're going to battle me? As if you were Zane, struggling to make a comeback after months of losing in the Pros?!"

"I can't grow as a Duelist without dueling!" Mindy countered, and she slammed her own Deck onto the table.

"Oh ho!" Konami chuckled, "Then I accept your challenge!"

The two shuffled each other's Decks, then laid them back on the table. Smiling, Mindy then reached out for hers, and prepared to draw her Hand.

"Imagine it," she said, grinning as if she were the most confident Duelist ever. "Your defeat at my hands!"

 _ **"DUEL!"**_

 _ **KONAMI VS MINDY**_

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MINDY - 4000 LP**_

"Ladies first!" Mindy declared, drawing an additional card along with her starting Hand.

 _ **TURN ONE - MINDY - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I summon Happy Lover in Attack Position!" she then shouted, placing the stated card onto the table. Since they weren't using Duel Disks, there were no holograms that appeared. Only the card's own presence, and the stats Konami had to strain his eyes to read.

 _Happy Lover - LV2 - LIGHT - Fairy - (800/500)_

"From there," Mindy continued, grabbing one last thing from her Hand, "I'll activate my Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen!"

She set the object behind her face-up Happy Lover, then folded her arms and stared at Konami with a grin.

"Once per Turn, this card will let me Special Summon a Fairy monster from my Hand! The only condition is that I don't control any monsters on my field when I do!"

"Then why didn't you use it before summoning Happy Lover?" Konami inquired.

Mindy blinked.

" _OH NO!_ " she then shouted, grabbing her head in horror.

Konami stared at her blankly.

"T-This is fine!" she recovered after a moment, staring at Konami with a small, shaky grin. "L-Let's see you beat this!"

"Uh, okay." Konami replied, "If that's what you want...then here I go! My Turn, I draw!"

 _ **TURN TWO - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"First things first, I'll activate my Field Spell - Catalyst Field!" Konami shouted, sliding the card where the Field Slot would be on a Duel Disk.

"Catalyst Field?" Mindy asked, blinking rapidly as she leaned down to stare at the sleeved card. "What does that do?!"

"Each Turn, this card lets me Normal Summon a Level Five or higher Gemini monster without Tributing!" Konami explained, "And that's not all, because during my Main Phase, I can also Normal Summon one Gemini Monster in addition to my first Normal Summon or Set!"

"What?!" Mindy complained. "You mean you get to summon twice in one Turn?!"

"That's right, and it's not even against the rules!" Konami grinned. "So, by using my first Catalyst Field's first effect, I'll bring out this guy - my Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"

He placed the card face-up on the table, grinning as Mindy stared at it wide-eyed.

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)_

"T-Twenty Four Hundred Attack Points?!" Mindy gasped.

"And thanks to my Catalyst Field's second effect," Konami continued, "I can Gemini Summon him right off the bat! That means I'll be able to use his effect, so I hope you're ready Mindy, because there's about to be a beatdown, and it won't be on me!"

" _HIIIIE!"_ Mindy shrieked, reeling back as she realized what was about to happen.

"Black Flare Dragon attacks and destroys Happy Lover!" he announced, taking his card and gesturing it toward hers.

Mindy frowned and moved the card to her Graveyard pile.

"So, that leaves me with how many Life Points now?"

"Well," Konami murmured, "my Black Flare Dragon has twenty four hundred, and your Happy Lover had only eight hundred, so that means you subtract sixteen hundred from your Life Points. You started with four thousand, so that leaves you with-"

"-twenty four hundred?" Mindy asked, doing the math.

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MINDY - 2400 LP**_

"Woo! So I'm still in the game, though a direct hit from your monster would finish me off!"

"Uh, actually Mindy," Konami said slowly, "I haven't activated my Black Flare Dragon's effect yet."

"Huh? It's effect? What does that do?" she asked curiously.

Konami smiled, and then-

" _Black Flare Dragon's effect allows me to inflict burn damage to you equal to its original Attack Points at the end of the Battle Phase, which is right now, which means that you now take damage equal to Black Flare Dragon's Attack Points, which are twenty four hundred, which is the same number of Life Points that you have left! In other words, Mindy-_ "

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MINDY - 0 LP**_

"No, it can't be!" Mindy gasped, slamming her hands on the table and throwing her head up. " _I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"_

"Yep," Konami confirmed, folding his arms as he leaned back on the couch. "I win, you lose. Better luck next time, Hamaguchi."

"Grrrr...!" Mindy growled, "I demand a rematch! Like, I totally would've won just now if I hadn't misplayed!"

"Oh yeah?" Konami asked, shuffling his cards back into his Deck. "Bring it, then!"

 _ **"DUEL!"**_

 _ **KONAMI VS MINDY**_

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MINDY - 4000 LP**_

"I'm going first, again!" Mindy decided, drawing six cards after shuffling her Deck.

 _ **TURN ONE - MINDY - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I activate Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen!" she announced, placing the Spell face-up on the table. "Like I said last time, this card lets me Special Summon a Fairy monster to the field when I control no monsters! So I Special Summon this gal, _Athena_!"

She smacked the card onto the table, then grinned as Konami read its stats.

 _Athena - LV7 - LIGHT - Fairy - (2600/800)_

"Next, I'll Normal Summon my Mystical Shine Ball in Defense Position!" Mindy continued.

 _Mystical Shine Ball - LV2 - LIGHT - Fairy - (500/500)_

"Well, at least you put it in Defense Position this time..." Konami murmured.

"And since I summoned it, my Athena's effect activates!" she revealed. "Each time a Fairy-Type monster is summoned, I inflict six hundred points of damage to you!"

"Six hundred, huh?" He inquired, rubbing his chin. "Well, I guess you damaged me then."

 _ **KONAMI - 3400 LP  
MINDY - 4000 LP**_

"Now who's losing, Red Hat?!" Mindy asked with a laugh. "Here's a hint: It's not me!"

"Not yet, at least." Konami replied, his eyes narrowed and he reached for his Deck. "My Turn, I draw!"

 _ **TURN TWO - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I activate the Spell Card, Red-Eyes Insight!" he stated, revealing the Spell in his hand before placing it on the table. "WIth this, I can send one "Red-Eyes" monster from my hand or Deck to the Graveyard, then add one "Red-Eyes" Spell or Trap from my Deck to my hand!"

"Huh? You mean Red-Eyes has even _more_ Spells and Traps now! Someone should tell Atticus!" Mindy gasped.

Konami sighed, "I send my Red-Eyes Archfiend from my Deck to the Graveyard...and add Red-Eyes Fusion to my hand."

He revealed the cards each time he moved them, then studied his new hand.

 _'With these cards, I can win!'_ He thought.

"I activate Red-Eyes Fusion!" he then shouted, revealing the Spell before reaching back into his hand. "I Fusion Summon a monster using cards from my hand, field, or Deck!"

"From your Deck, too?!" Mindy gasped, "That's even worse than Jaden!"

Konami ignored her, though he knew she had a point.

"I fuse the Red-Eyes B. Dragon in my Deck..." he said, removing the card, "...and the Red-Eyes Impact Meteor Dragon in my hand to Fusion Summon...!"

He placed both cards in his Graveyard pile, then reached over to his Extra Deck.

"My Meteor Black Comet Dragon!"

Placing the new card face-up on the table, Konami grinned at the horrified expression on Mindy's face.

 _Meteor Black Comet Dragon - LV8 - DARK - Dragon - (3500/2000)_

"T-Thirty five hundred Attack Points?!"

"Meteor Black Comet Dragon's effect activates!" Konami revealed. "When it's Fusion Summoned, I can send one "Red-Eyes" monster from my hand or Deck to the Graveyard, and if I do, you take damage equal to half its Attack Points! I send my Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon to the Graveyard!"

"Red-Eyes Black Flare? That's the one you used to beat me last time!" Mindy cried. "It had twenty four hundred Attack Points, right? So that means, I take..."

"Twelve hundred points of damage," Konami interrupted.

 _ **KONAMI - 3600 LP  
MINDY - 2800 LP**_

"And you're about to take a lot more, because now I'm activating my last card, _Inferno Fire Blast!_ " Konami revealed with a laugh. "This card lets me target one face-up "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" I control, and inflict damage to you equal to its Attack Points!"

"But you don't have a Red-Eyes Black Dragon on the field!" Mindy complained. "You sent it to the Graveyard to summon that Meteor Black Falling Comet Meteorite Thingy!"

"Yes, and I did so by using Red-Eyes Fusion!" He explained. "And since I did, guess what? My Meteor Black Comet Dragon's name is treated as "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" while its face-up on the field!"

"No!" Mindy gasped, "That can't be!"

"It is!" Konami confirmed, showing her the card text that said as much.

She gasped and reeled back in pain.

"Face it, Mindy!" He said, relishing in her despair. "You've lost! _INFERNO FIRE BLAST!_ "

 _"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

 _ **KONAMI - 3600 LP  
MINDY - 0 LP**_

"I can't believe I lost again! And to someone who graduated as a Slifer Red, too!"

"Heh, you Obelisks always were full of yourselves," Konami chuckled. "Obelisk might've been the highest rank at Duel Academy, but it wasn't the best Duelist's God card. At least, not at first. It was Slifer, and just like its owner, Yugi - I'll never lose to you!"

 _"Agh!_ " Mindy screamed, crying in annoyance and shame as she gathered up her cards.

"Hmph," a voice muttered from beside them. "So that's the Deck you've been using, huh? Lame! What, are you trying to get into Alexis' pants by using the same cards as her brother or something?"

"You're the only one trying to get up Alexis' _skirt_ here, Chazz." Konami replied, "If I'd wanted to do it, I'd have done it a long time ago. And you'd be none the wiser."

Chazz grimaced, "W-Why you-!"

"Chazz!" Mindy whined, rising from the couch and nearly tackling the man. "Konami's being mean to me! Come defend my honor, just like Jaden did for Alexis when he dueled Harrington Rosewood!"

"Oh, yeah! I remember that!" Jasmine said, joining them. "Didn't he become Alexis' fiancee or something after that?"

"WHAT?!" Chazz snapped, "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!"

"Oh, right! You had left Duel Academy when that happened!" Jasmine giggled. "Sorry!"

"What? Alexis and Jaden are...engaged...?!"

"Relax Chazz," Konami sighed, deciding to bail the guy out. "They're just messing with you. Alexis called the whole thing off, although I'm not really sure if it was because she wasn't interested at the time...or if Jaden was just being too much of an idiot."

"O-Oh, well that's good." Chazz muttered, "I mean, SHADDAP!"

"And Harrington never even called me back!" Mindy wailed.

Jasmine pet the girl on her shoulders.

"There, there," she comforted, "you can do much better than that motorhead anyway."

"R-Really?" Mindy wondered.

"Really," Jasmine asserted, "and you don't need someone like Chazz to defend your honor, either. We can do it ourselves, by beating that Super Slacker in a Duel!"

"I've had enough two-on-one's for a while, thanks." Konami declined.

He started to rise from the couch, only to feel Chazz's hand grip down on his shoulder.

"Not so fast, Red Hat." He said, grinning down at him. "This might actually be a good idea."

"What?"

"It is?"

"Not you two dueling him," Chazz clarified. "I mean a Tag Duel! Since the slacker and I have to team up in Naples anyway, it might be a good idea to get some practice in so we can learn each other's strategies."

"Uh, well, I guess." Konami agreed, "But...are you sure we'd get some good practice in? I mean..."

He glanced over to Jasmine and Mindy, noting their souring expressions.

"Finish that thought," Jasmine told him. "See what happens."

Konami sighed.

"Alright, alright," he relented, throwing up his hands and sliding over to make room for Chazz. "Let's get this over with. Just...try not to cry too much, okay?"

"Oh, that is _it_!" Jasmine growled, rolling up her sleeves as she took a seat. "Forget the Tag Duel! I'll beat you all by myself, slacker!"

"Jasmine, wait!" Mindy warned, but it was too late.

 _ **DUEL!**_

 _ **KONAMI VS JASMINE**_

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
JASMINE - 4000 LP**_

"My Turn!" Jasmine shouted.

 _ **TURN ONE - JASMINE - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I summon Harpie's Broth-er... _Sky Scout_ in Attack Mode!" she shouted, placing the card onto the table.

 _Sky Scout - LV4 - WIND - Winged Beast - (1800/600)_

"Next, I'll set one card face-down, and end my Turn."

"Hmm," Konami murmured, staring at the card. "Sky Scout, huh? And a face-down on top of that? Gee, I wonder what that card is."

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Jasmine barked, her self-satisfied smirk giving far too much away.

 _'Heh heh,'_ she thought viciously. _'With my Icarus Attack, it doesn't matter what he pulls! All I have to do is Tribute my Sky Scout, and two of his cards will go boom!'_

Konami sighed, "Alright, let's get this over with. I draw!"

 _ **TURN TWO - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I activate the Spell _Mystical Space Typhoon!_ " he shouted, placing the card on the table.

Jasmine made a face.

"Say goodbye to your Icarus Attack, because this card lets me destroy it!" Konami explained.

"Ughhhhhhhh..." Jasmine groaned, "What gave it away?"

"A lot of things," Konami said. "Like that nasty, self-assured smirk you had on your face, or the dark chuckling you were doing, or maybe, I don't know - _the fact that you ALWAYS played that card whenever you summoned Sky Scout back at the Academy!_ "

"?!" Jasmine hissed.

"Anyway," Konami continued, setting his Space Typhoon in the Graveyard, "Now that your Icarus Attack is out the way, I'm activating this - the Spell Card _Brain Control!_ "

"WHAT?!" Jasmine roared, slamming her fist on the table.

"By paying eight hundred Life Points, your Sky Scout becomes my brainwashed minion!" Konami cackled, reaching over to take the card and slide it over to his side of the table.

"No, Harpie's Brother! Come to your senses, please!" Mindy pleaded from the sidelines.

"It's no use, he's mine until the End Phase!" He explained.

"Grr...!" Jasmine growled, "But at least you took damage! Now you're still losing the Duel!"

 _ **KONAMI - 3200 LP  
JASMINE - 4000 LP**_

"Don't be so sure," he retorted, "because now that I've gone and taken _your_ monster, it's time I played one of my own! Come on out, Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight!"

He placed the card beside his new Sky Scout, grinning at the expression of malice strewn across Jasmine's face.

 _Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight - LV4 - DARK - Warrior - (1800/1600)_

"Two eighteen hundred Attack Point monsters..." Jasmine murmured, "But I can still last!"

"No, you won't, because I'm not done yet! I'm equipping a card to my Red-Eyes Gearfried, my Black Metal Dragon!" Konami revealed the monster card in his hand before placing it in the Spell Zone directly behind his Gearfried's position.

"What? But that's a monster card!" Jasmine complained. "You can't just equip anything willy-nilly!"

"You're right, but my Black Metal Dragon has an effect!" he revealed. "When it's on my field or in my hand, I can equip Black Metal Dragon to one "Red-Eyes" monster I control and increase its Attack Points by six hundred!"

"Six hundred?" Jasmine gasped, "But that'll make your Gearfried's Attack Points reach...reach...!"

"Twenty four hundred," Chazz interjected, annoyed.

 _Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight - LV4 - DARK - Warrior - (2400/1600)_

"Yeah, that!" she shouted.

"Which means that together with your - I mean, _my_ Sky Scout," Konami chuckled, "I have just enough firepower to finish you off! Go my monsters, attack her directly! _Winds of Betrayal!_ "

 _"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"_ Jasmine screamed, falling back into the couch as she imagined the blast hitting her and wiping out her Life Points.

 _ **KONAMI - 3200 LP  
JASMINE - 0 LP**_

"I-Impossible..." she whispered, staring at the jet's ceiling, dazed. "Beaten by a slacker... I'll never live this down!"

"Feh, that's really the best you two have got?" Chazz complained. "What kind of Obelisk Blues are you? Don't you have any kind of dueling sense? You're an embarrassment to the uniform!"

"Oh yeah?!" Jasmine glowered, "Why don't you come over here and prove it! That is, if you have the balls!"

"Oh, I've got more than balls!" Chazz replied, "I have _Ojamas_!"

He slammed his Deck onto the table, prompting a series of ghostly cries and taunts to echo through the room.

" _Ohhhh noooo..._ " Konami whispered.

 _"Oh, yeah!"_ the spirit of Ojama Yellow cheered as it emerged from the stack of cards. _"I knew you'd call me again, Boss! I love you too! Mwah!"_

"Ugh! Get off me!" Chazz complained, batting the small yellow monster away with his hand.

"Jasmine," Mindy called, rearing away from him. "Chazz is acting weird again!"

"Ignore it, Mindy!" Jasmine replied. "It'll pass! It _has_ to."

" _Oh, you're here too, Konami? It's been awhile, hasn't it?!"_ Ojama Yellow greeted.

"Y-Yeah..." Konami whispered, averting his gaze from the creature.

Even after all these years, he didn't get it. Of all the cards in Chazz's Deck, why did the most talkative one have to be a fat-lipped, yellow humanoid dressed in nothing but bikini briefs? Why couldn't it be Armed Dragon LV3, or Y-Dragon Head, or even any of the Dark Scorpions?! They were Duel Spirits too, right? They were freakin' Shadow Riders for cryin' out loud!

" _Hey, listen!_ " Ojama Yellow said, waving his butt in Konami's face.

Konami swiped at it as if swatting a bug, and Ojama Yellow fell back with a gasp.

 _"Hey, what'd you go and do that for?"_ it asked. _"I was just giving you a greeting! Mwah!"_

 _"WHAT. IS. THAT?"_ the Shadow hissed, glaring at the obnoxious creature from beside Konami's shoulder. _"It's ugly. It's hideous. It's-!"_

"Ojama Yellow..." Konami sighed in annoyance.

 _"Oh wow, so you do remember me!"_ the yellow monstrosity cheered.

"Stop buggin' him!" Chazz barked. "Can't you see we're busy around here? We're about to have a Duel!"

 _"A Duel?"_ Yellow asked, blinking as it tilted its alien-like eyes toward the table. _"Oh, wow! Are you gonna summon me, boss? Are you, are you?!"_

"Maybe I will, if you do as I say and shaddap!" Chazz snarked. "Otherwise, there's no way I'll play you, even if you're my ace-in-the-hole!"

 _"Oh, wow! So you will play me? I gotta go let the boys know! See you in a bit boss! Wowie!_ "

WIth those words, the Ojama dove back into the cards, vanishing from view.

"Ugh...so annoying...!" Chazz grumbled, palming his face.

"Uh, you alright there, Chazz?" Mindy asked worriedly. "Do you need us to call a doctor again?"

"Like, seriously." Jasmine added, "I'm not sure Alexis is into basket cases, y'know?"

"Shaddap, I'm not crazy!" Chazz roared.

"Could've fooled me, running that in your Deck," Konami murmured.

"What was that?!" barked Chazz. Konami sighed and turned his head away.

"Nothing..."

"That's what I thought!" Chazz yelled, falling into the couch with a huff. He folded his arms and glared at the two girls, "Now, are we throwin' down or what?"

"Oh, you bet we are!" Jasmine replied, exchanging a nod with Mindy. "And don't think we'll hold back just because you've lost it! A win's a win in our book, no matter the circumstances!"

"Fine by me," Chazz replied with a grin. "You ready, Red Hat?!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Konami sighed, tilting his cap downward. "Let's do this."

Mindy went and took her seat beside Jasmine, and the four Duelists readied their Decks.

"Alright," Jasmine said once everyone was done shuffling. "Here we go..."

 _ **"DUEL!"**_

 _ **KONAMI AND CHAZZ VS JASMINE AND MINDY**_

 _ **KONAMI AND CHAZZ - 4000 LP  
JASMINE AND MINDY - 4000 LP**_

"As certain as the sun rising from the east, so too will Ladies always go first in Duels!" Mindy shouted, reaching for her cards.

"Then it's a good thing you aren't Ladies, because this time, it's _My Move!_ " Konami interrupted, drawing a card first.

 _ **TURN ONE - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"H-Hey!" Mindy shouted, slamming her palms on the table. "What gives, Konami?!"

"What? You two went first the past three times, and look what happened!" he complained, adding the card to his hand. "I figured I should at least give you two a fighting chance."

"Even if that's your reasoning, you could've said something a little earlier, or at least interrupted with something a little nicer!" Jasmine complained. "Tell him, Chazz!"

"Uh, er...yeah!" Chazz said after a moment, "Not cool, slacker!"

 _'As if you weren't planning on doing the same thing yourself!'_ Konami thought, noticing Chazz's hand hovering just beside his own cards.

"Oh well, it's too late to do anything about it now, so you're just gonna have to deal!" He said, glancing down to his hand.

"Mmmm...! Fine!" Mindy decided, "But pull something like that again, and we're gonna have words, mister!"

"Alright, alright. Now am I allowed to take my Turn now, or do you also have something to say?" He asked, glancing over to Jasmine.

She sighed, "Whatever."

"Thank you," Konami said. "Now then, where was I? Oh, right! I was summoning my Red-Eyes Baby Dragon in Attack Mode!"

He placed the card on the table, leaving Jasmine and Mindy to gawk over its artwork.

"Aww, it's so cute!"

"Too bad it's owner is such a jerk!"

"Right?"

 _Red-Eyes Baby Dragon - LV3 - DARK - Dragon - (1200/700)_

"I end my Turn," Konami sighed, closing his hand as Chazz gawked at him.

"What?! Whaddaya mean, you end your Turn?"

"Exactly what I said," Konami said with a wide smile. "My Turn. It's been ended! Your move, ladies!"

"What?!" Chazz gasped.

He slammed his fist on the table, shaking the cards.

"What the hell are you playing at, Red Hat?! All the other Duels you pulled out all these impressive combos, and this time you're playing one card?!"

"What can I say?" Konami shrugged. "Guess I pulled a bad hand."

"Yeah, sure you did..." Chazz glowered, but there was nothing he could do. Konami had already said the words, and Mindy was more than happy to acknowledge them.

"My move then!" she shouted cheerfully, reaching for her Deck. "I draw!"

 _ **TURN TWO - MINDY - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I activate Celestial Transformation!" she said, revealing the Spell before sliding it onto the table. "This lets me Special Summon a Fairy-Type monster from my hand, but I have to halve its Attack Points, and it also gets destroyed during the End Phase!"

"Is that so?" Konami inquired, "And what are you going to summon? Another Happy Lover?"

"Nope!" Mindy said cheerfully, "I'm bringing out this guy, my Airknight Parshath!"

She placed the Level Five monster onto the table face-up, grinning as she revealed its stats to everyone in the room.

 _Airknight Parshath - LV5 - LIGHT - Fairy - (1900/1400)_

"Nineteen hundred halved!" Mindy repeated, "So that's..."

"Nine hundred fifty," everyone sighed as she started counting on her fingers.

 _Airknight Parshath - LV5 - LIGHT - Fairy - (950/1400)_

"Wow, great job!" Konami clapped after acknowledging the change. "You've brought out a Level Five monster with less than a thousand Attack Points and nothing more than a piercing effect! I'm so scared."

"Jesus, you're such an asshole!" Jasmine complained, "Have you ever thought that maybe she wasn't done yet?"

"Yeah, 'cause like, I'm not!" Mindy continued. "Because since I now have an Airknight Parshath on my field, I can Tribute it to Special Summon an even better version of him! Come on out, _Neo-Parshath!_ "

She slapped a new card onto the table, then tossed her original Parshath into the Graveyard pile.

 _Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin - LV7 - LIGHT - Fairy - (2300/2000)_

"Okay," Konami said, leaning forward. "That's actually a somewhat decent move."

"And I'm not done yet, because I still have a Normal Summon too!" Mindy continued. "So give a nice warm welcome to... _Happy Lover!_ "

 _Happy Lover - LV4 - LIGHT - Fairy - (800/500)_

"...and you've lost me."

"Well, I'm about to get you back, because now it's the Battle Phase!"

"Ugh..." Chazz grunted, "She's about to have her way with our Life Points, and it's all your fault!"

"Relax, it ain't no thang."

"Oh, it will be, because Neo-Parshath is attacking your cute Baby Dragon!" Mindy declared.

"Wait, Mindy no!" Jasmine shouted, realizing something was off.

Too little, too late.

Mindy gestured her card toward Konami's, and the man grinned beneath his hat.

"Thanks for that," he replied, "truly, because thanks to you destroying him, my Red-Eyes Baby Dragon's effect activates!"

"Wait, what?!" Mindy shouted.

"That's right," Konami said with a grin. "When he gets destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I get to Special Summon a Level Seven or lower "Red-Eyes" monster from my Deck, and if I do, I can equip my Baby Dragon to it, increasing the summoned monster's Attack Points by three hundred!"

"Ugh!" Jasmine groaned, slapping her palm over her forehead. "That's why I told you to wait, girl!"

"Sorry, but hey," Mindy continued, "at least he still takes the damage!"

 _ **KONAMI AND CHAZZ - 2900 LP  
JASMINE AND MINDY - 4000 LP**_

"And even better, thanks to Neo-Parshath's own effect, I get to draw a card too!" she remembered, doing just that while Konami raced through his Deck.

"That's all well and good," he told her as he did, "but no card you draw will be able to protect you from this. I summon the Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"

He set the burning Red-Eyes face-up on the table.

"And thanks to Red-Eyes Baby Dragon's effect, it gains three hundred Attack Points after being equipped with my destroyed Baby Dragon!" Konami continued, sliding said card behind it.

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2700/2000)_

"Heh," Chazz grinned, folding his arms. "So that's what you were planning. You should've said something!"

"And give away my scheme?" Konami inquired. "Please."

"Oooh, stop patting yourself on the back!" Mindy complained. "Your move wasn't that impressive, and this Duel isn't over yet!"

"No, but it will be soon." Konami replied.

"Mmmm!" Mindy pouted, growling through her lips. "I'm setting a face-down card! After that, it's your move, Chazz!"

"Then it's time to Chazz it up," the man said, watching Mindy place her face-down, "because it's my Turn! I draw!"

 _ **TURN THREE - CHAZZ - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

He glanced at his drawn card and grinned.

 _"It's time to Chazz it up..."_ he whispered forebodingly, then lifted his drawn card above his head.

Konami watched him warily.

 _'Is...'_ he thought, _'Is he about to...?'_

"I activate Ojamatch!" Chazz shouted furiously, slapping the card onto the table. "This lets me send one "Ojama" card from my hand or field to the Graveyard to add an "Ojama" monster with a different name and an "Armed Dragon" monster from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand!"

"Say what?!" Mindy gasped.

"I banish my Ojamagic," Chazz stated, throwing the Spell into the discard pile, "and add Armed Dragon LV5 and Ojama Red to my hand!"

He revealed both cards as he added them to his hand, then shuffled his Deck.

"Next," he continued, "the effect of my discarded Ojamagic activates!"

"H-Huh?!" Jasmine sputtered.

"When it's sent from my hand or field to the Graveyard, I get to add one copy of Ojama Green, Ojama Black, and Ojama Yellow from my Deck to my hand!" Chazz revealed, shuffling through his Deck again to grab each of the card. The ghostly cheers of the three Duel Spirits cried out as they were shifted into Chazz's palms, and Konami could _feel_ the annoyance building behind Chazz's facade.

 _"Oh, yeah! That's the way, boss!"_ Ojama Yellow greeted.

 _"Yeah, yeah! We're gonna show 'em what's what, for sure!"_ Ojama Green agreed.

Ojama Black nodded, _"Just tell us what to do! We're all yours, Chazz!"_

 _"Oh God,"_ the Shadow hissed in Konami's ear. _"There's more of them?! Crash the plane, Konami! DO IT NOW! I'd rather have you die than listen to their rambling for another second!"_

"Shuddup...!" Konami hissed, waving away the Shadow.

Fortunately, it didn't seem anyone noticed. Jasmine and Mindy were too busy staring at Chazz's own antics, who in turn was dealing with his insufferable Ojamas.

 _"Yeah, yeah! Chazz it up! No one duels like Chazz can, yup!"_ the Ojamas cheered, rubbing their butts together as they spun around frantically.

"Alright, that's it!" Chazz grimaced. "You three can go straight to D.D., because I'm activating my Ojamassimilation Spell Card!"

 _"Say WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"_ Ojama Yellow shrieked.

"You heard me," Chazz told his monster, even as Jasmine and Mindy stared at him in shock.

He placed the Spell face-up on the table so everyone could see it.

"Ojamassimilation lets me reveal one LIGHT Machine-Type Fusion monster from my Extra Deck, banish any number of "Ojama" monsters from my hand, field, or Graveyard, and then Special Summon Fusion Material monsters from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard equal to the number of banished monsters!" Chazz shouted.

He then reached into his Extra Deck, and revealed XYZ Dragon Cannon. He grinned.

"I banish Ojama Yellow, Ojama Green, and Ojama Black from my hand!" he then shouted, tossing the cards to the side and leaving the ghosts to flail about wildly in despair.

 _"What?! But boss,"_ Ojama Yellow complained as its brothers vanished into the Different Dimension, " _We're your best monsters!"_

"Not this time," Chazz replied, "'Cause this time, the Chazz is goin' big!"

 _"NOOOOOOOOO!"_ Ojama Yellow wailed, finally vanishing as its card hit the table.

"Since I banished three monsters," Chazz explained, not caring in the slightest, "I can Special Summon all three of XYZ Dragon Cannon's Fusion Material!"

"Jesus Chazz, you're really goin' off here!" Konami complained.

"Whatever," he replied. "I play X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head, and Z-Metal Tank from my Deck!"

He placed all three cards face-up on the field, then grinned as Jasmine and Mindy gasped at their stats.

 _X-Head Cannon - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1800/1500)_

 _Y-Dragon Head - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1500/1600)_

 _Z-Metal Tank - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1500/1300)_

"Jasmine!" Mindy shrieked worriedly, "He can totally finish us with all those monsters!"

"Yeah, I could," Chazz agreed, "but you know what? When the Chazz goes off, he goes off hard, and I'm nowhere near done yet!"

"WHAT?!" Jasmine screamed.

"It's time for some Contact Fusion!" Chazz grinned. "I send my X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head, and Z-Metal Tank to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon..."

He reached into his Extra Deck to grab the card he'd revealed earlier.

"...my XYZ Dragon Cannon!" he finished with a shout, slamming the Fusion monster onto the table.

Jasmine and Mindy grabbed each other in fright as they stared at the tiny card's stats.

 _XYZ Dragon Cannon - LV8 - LIGHT - Machine - (2800/2600)_

"Next, I'll-"

"-Chazz," Konami interrupted, "give us a break. Just how far are you planning on going here?!"

"As far as I need to," Chazz whispered dangerously.

He snapped his gaze back to the field. He was going - he was going all the way!

"I activate a second Ojamassimilation!" he revealed, throwing a second copy of the powerful Spell onto the table.

He shuffled through his Extra Deck a second time, revealing a different Fusion monster: his _VW-Tiger Catapult!_

"VW-Tiger Catapult has two Fusion Material monsters," Chazz explained, reaching into his hand. "Fortunately, I have just enough Ojamas left in my hand to pull them out!"

"Oh, no..." Konami whispered.

"I banish my Ojama Red and Ojama Blue..." Chazz started, tossing the other Ojama brothers into the pile with Yellow, Green, and Black, "...to bring out my V-Tiger Jet and W-Wing Catapult!"

He slapped the two new cards onto the table beside XYZ-Dragon Cannon, then grinned egotistically.

 _V-Tiger Jet - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1600/1800)_

 _W-Wing Catapult - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1300/1500)_

"And let me guess..." Jasmine whispered, almost afraid to ask, "those monsters don't need Polymerization to fuse either?"

"If this was a quiz, you'd get a hundred," Chazz grinned, "because you're absolutely right! I fuse my Y-Tiger Jet and W-Wing Catapult to Fusion Summon my VW-Tiger Catapult!"

Sliding his two new cards into the Graveyard pile, Chazz smirked and threw his revealed Fusion monster onto the table.

 _VW-Tiger Catapult - LV6 - LIGHT - Machine - (2000/2100)_

"We're almost there, folks." He whispered, reaching for both his Fusion monsters. "Now, it's time to go big. I activate the effect of a monster in my Extra Deck. By sending VW-Tiger Catapult and XYZ-Dragon Cannon to the Graveyard, I can Fusion Summon a monster without Polymerization!"

"AGAIN?!" Mindy complained.

"Hehehe...Hahahahaha!" Chazz laughed, "I Fusion Summon, _VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!_ "

He pulled the card from his Extra Deck and slammed it down onto the table, nearly scattering the rest of the cards present.

"Jesus, Chazz!" Konami complained, reaching down to stop his "Red-Eyes" monsters from falling off the table. "Watch it, will you?!"

But Chazz wasn't listening. He was lost in the Duel, in his own extreme combo! He was almost there, one half of the puzzle was complete! All that was left...was the easy part.

 _VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon - LV8 - LIGHT - Machine - (3000/2800)_

"Well, I'd say we've lost at this point," Jasmine sighed.

"Not yet you haven't," Chazz growled, "because I'm not done, yet. Now that I've properly summoned my VWXYZ Dragon Catapult Cannon, I can Tribute it!"

"Wait, what?" Konami asked, snapping his head at the man. "But Chazz, we've already won at this point! Like, we've gone past winning! We could've won when you summoned your Fusion monsters separately!"

"I know, but I said I'm going big, and the Chazz doesn't lie!" he replied. "So I'm Tributing my VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, and I'm doing it...to summon Armed Dragon LV5!"

He slid his ultimate alphabet monster to the Graveyard, then placed the Armed Dragon he added to his hand earlier onto the table. Everyone's eyes widened as he did so, and they all leaned down to stare at the monster's stats.

 _Armed Dragon LV5 - LV5 - WIND - Dragon - (2400/1700)_

"Okay, now I _know_ you've gone mad!" Jasmine said. "That monster has nowhere near the attack power of your Dragon Catapult Cannon, and its effect isn't quite as good, either! You just gave up a huge advantage!"

"Did I?" Chazz asked, "Or was it just a part of my plan too?"

"Oh, I see where this is going." Konami sighed.

"I activate my final Spell," Chazz said, placing his last card onto the table. "LEVEL UP!"

"I knew it..." Konami groaned.

"With this, I can send my Armed Dragon LV5 to the Graveyard, and bring out my Armed Dragon LV7!" Chazz shouted.

He did just that, tossing the Level Five monster into the pile before shuffling through his deck for its upgraded form. Once he'd found it, he placed it face-up on the table, then let out a deep breath.

"Finally..." he whispered, "...all the pieces are in place."

"All the pieces for what?!" Konami asked, flabbergasted. "You've avoided winning like, two or three times now!"

"Well don't you worry, Red Hat, because now, we're about to win for real." Chazz told him, "I banish the Armed Dragon LV7 from my Field, as well as the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon from my Graveyard, to _Fusion Summon...!_ "

He reached into his Extra Deck, and Konami could just _imagine_ the light bursting from its form.

" _ARMED DRAGON CATAPULT CANNON!"_

And as Chazz placed the card on the table, the mightiest monster descended, ready to win the war.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER SIXTEEN - END**_

* * *

 _"You two suck! Move aside!"_

 _Following what was supposed to be a friendly game of Duel Monsters, Chazz has decided that if he wants something done right, he'll have to do it himself! Realizing that Jasmine and Mindy won't make for proper sparring partners, he challenges Konami to a Duel himself, intent of having them share strategies! Competing in Chazz's High-Tech Battle Box that makes the monsters appear, Konami's strategy leaves him face-to-face with the Chazz's most powerful monsters! Who will win their intense battle?!_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Lightning and Thunder! Konami VS Chazz!**_

 _"Let's go, Armed Dragon!"_

* * *

 _ **Read & Review!**_


	17. Lightning and Thunder! Konami VS Chazz!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"Cutting it rather close there, Red Hat! I was about to call the whole thing off and leave!"_

 _Having just narrowly boarded the Princeton Jet in time, Konami settles in for the long flight, only to find himself greeted by Alexis' old friends, Jasmine and Mindy! The two are on vacation on Chazz's paycheck, a deal struck by the Pro to earn some brownie points with his beloved Alexis! The two make quick work of Konami mentally and physically while catching up, and it is only when the plane finally leaves New Domino's airspace that he can sit back and relax! He intends to make use of the time by upgrading his Deck further, but before he can-_

 _"Oooooh, wanna have a Duel?!"_

 _Mindy challenges him to a game of cards! Accepting her challenge, Konami proceeds to defeat her again and again, sparking an idea in Chazz's Ojama-sized brain! Since they'll have to team up in Naples anyway, the flight would be the perfect opportunity to trade strategies! Teaming up with Konami in a Tag Duel, Chazz stares down Jasmine and Mindy, but in that moment...!_

 _"I activate this card, and this card, and this card, AND THIS CARD!"_

 _Chazz goes off! Like lightning in a bottle, Chazz unleashes combo after combo to bring out his most powerful monster!_

 _"Come forth, ARMED DRAGON CATAPULT CANNON!"_

 _In the face of such power, what can Jasmine and Mindy possibly do? Prepare to find out!_

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**_

* * *

 _ **LIGHTNING AND THUNDER! KONAMI VS CHAZZ!**_

* * *

 _Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon - LV10 - LIGHT - Dragon - (3500/3000)_

"N-No way!" Jasmine screamed, staring at the card Chazz placed on the table with wide, bulging eyes.

"Haa... _Haaa..._ " He panted, grinning even as sweat dripped down his forehead. "Heh heh heh... _ahahahaha!_ At long last, the ultimate monster of the Chazz has descended! You two might as well give up, because there's nothing you losers can do to beat me now!"

"Ugh...!"

"It's time for my Battle Phase!" He continued, swinging his hand forward. "Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon attacks Athena!"

"No, not my Athena! She's one of my strongest monsters!" Mindy whined.

"Well, now she's a dead monster, because my Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's completely destroyed her!"

Pouting, Mindy slowly moved the attacked card into her Graveyard pile, then watched as Jasmine ran the numbers in her head.

"Armed Dragon Catapult's thirty five hundred minus Athena's twenty six hundred..." she mused, "that's nine hundred points of damage, which should leave us with about-"

"Thirty one hundred Life Points," Chazz answered for her, "but they're about to get lower, because now my powered-up Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon is going to attack your Happy Lover!"

"I'm sorry," Konami interrupted, " _your_ Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon?"

"Shaddup!" replied Chazz. "You know what I meant!"

He gestured the card toward Mindy's Happy Lover regardless, grinning as he knocked the two girls' Life Points down even further.

 _ **KONAMI AND CHAZZ - 2900 LP  
JASMINE AND MINDY - 1200 LP**_

"Heh, looks like I've still got it!"

"Got problems, more like. In case you haven't noticed Chazz, we've still got Life Points, which means we're still in the game!" Jasmine cheered.

"Well, duh." Chazz grinned. "I didn't want to finish you off without at least giving you a turn to try and defend yourself. Who do I look like, Prince Ojin?"

"Prince Ojin is way hotter than you and you know it!" Mindy shouted.

"That was a rhetorical question!" Chazz snapped. Sliding backward into the couch, he folded his arms with a huff and scowled. "Whatever! I end my Turn! Make your move, Jasmine, even if it'll just be a big waste of time."

"Ergh...! I'll show you a waste of time! I draw!" Jasmine called, pulling a card from the top of her Deck.

 _ **TURN FOUR - JASMINE - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 1200 LP**_

"I summon my Monk Fighter in Attack Mode!" she then declared, placing the stated card face-up onto the table.

"Oooh, he's a hottie!" Mindy said, glancing at the artwork of the white-haired warrior punching a rock.

"Yeah," agreed Jasmine, "and he has a neat effect too! When he participates in a battle, the person controlling him doesn't take any battle damage!"

"That won't stop us from destroying him though!" Chazz snarked.

"Maybe it won't," she replied, "but this will! I activate the Spell, _Mist Body!_ By equipping it to my Monk Fighter, he becomes immune to destruction by battle!"

"Hm, not bad." Konami said, "You managed to find a way to stave off any battle damage and keep us from destroying your monster."

"Yep!" she agreed, "Which means that now, it won't matter how many Attack Points your monsters have! Mindy and I will still be safe, which means we now have time to gather our resources and stage a comeback!"

She threw one more card onto the table.

"So I'll set this baby face-down," she said as she did, "and end my Turn! How's that for a move, huh Chazz?"

"Pretty good, I guess." Chazz murmured, "But not good enough! Before you end your Turn, I'm activating the effect of my Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon!"

"W-What?!" Jasmine gasped.

"Oh no! I knew it was too good to be true! That mean old thing has a nasty effect to go with it, doesn't it?!" Mindy accused.

"Darn right it does," Chazz said, eager to explain. "During your Turn, I can banish one card face-up from my Deck or Extra Deck!"

"Uh, okay." Jasmine said, watching as he revealed a second copy of Ojama Blue and tossed it in with the banished pile. "What's so good about that?"

"The fact that that was just the cost, that's what!" Chazz barked. "And now that I've paid, I can get to the good stuff!"

"Oh no, it's gonna be something bad, I just know it!" Mindy screamed, squirming in her seat.

"You're right about that," he replied, "because my Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's effect banishes all cards you control on the field, along with all the ones you have in your Graveyard!"

"S-Say what?! The Graveyard _and_ the Field?!" Jasmine gasped.

"And that's not even the good part, because guess what?" Chazz asked. "All the cards that have been banished during this Duel? You can't activate cards or effects with the same name as any of them!"

Jasmine gasped, and just like that...

Her field was gone.

The Monk Fighter she had summoned, along with her Misty Body and face-down Mirror Force. Chazz's ultimate monster had gotten rid of all of them in an instant, and now...she had nothing left.

"My Turn," Konami breathed, bringing her back to her senses.

"Hey," she started warily, "Wait-!"

" _DIRECT ATTACK!_ " he shouted before she could finish, and like that, the Duel came to another swift and unsatisfying end.

 _ **KONAMI AND CHAZZ - 2900 LP  
JASMINE AND MINDY - 0 LP**_

"Y-You jerks!" Jasmine screamed. "I told you to wait!"

"Chazz," Mindy complained alongside her, "you were supposed to go easy on us! Not blow us all the way into the next dimension!"

"Good grief," Konami sighed, shaking his head at the girls while tilting his cap downward. "And here I thought _I_ was a sore loser."

"Heh, there's no kill like overkill," Chazz agreed. "If you two don't like it, then maybe you should spend less time gossiping and more time working on your dueling skills!"

"Uh, hello? Gossip is kind of like, my job now? Of course I'd prioritize that over dueling!" countered Jasmine. "More importantly, shouldn't _you_ be a little more wary about how you treat us? In case you've forgotten, your brownie points depend on Mindy and I having a good time!"

"Yeah!" Mindy chirped in agreement, "You'd better be nicer to us from now on, buster, or you're gonna get it from Alexis!"

"Huh?! You're bringing that up now just because you lost a Duel?!" Chazz complained, leaning forward again to slam his palms on the table. "That's not fair!"

"All's fair in love and war!" Jasmine retorted, "So in the name of your love for Alexis...that'll be another twenty five thousand, chump!"

" _WHAT?!_ Who do you take me for?! Seto Kaiba?! I don't have that kind of cash!"

Jasmine blinked, as if trying to remember something important. Her eyes widened a moment later, and she smacked her fist against her open palm.

"Oh right, I forgot!" she said, "You didn't get any bonuses this year since you've been falling behind in the Pro Leagues!"

"What'd you say?!" Chazz glowered, "I've been...falling behind?! That's a lie! I'm not falling behind, I'm just...taking it easy for a while, that's all!"

"Taking it easy, huh?" Mindy wondered. "Is that what they call losing now?"

"Uhk...!"

"And then there was that whole scandal with that reporter lady too..." Jasmine chimed in.

"I already told you guys, that was completely her fault!" Chazz roared.

"I'll admit that Carly can be a bit of a klutz," Konami interjected, "but from what I saw of the video, you weren't exactly making things easy for her, Chazz."

"Wait, _Carly_?" Jasmine inquired, leaning forward. "You mean to say you know the girl Chazz got in a scandal with?!"

"Eh," Konami shrugged. "We're...associates."

Chazz scoffed. "Yeah, that's one way to put it, alright."

Mindy glanced between the two in confusion.

"What does that mean?" she asked, sensing a story. She turned to Konami for clarification. "Do you two know each other from work or something?"

"You could say that," admitted Konami. "She was in a bit of a bind when I first came to the city. I helped her out a little bit and, well, we've been friends ever since!"

"Does Wisteria know?" Jasmine asked suspiciously, inclining her head toward the man. "You're not messing around with this Carly chick on the side or something, are you?!"

"Wha-?!" Konami's eyes widened, only to narrow an instant later as he registered the words. "Of course not! What sort of person do you take me for?! Besides, Carly's got a thing for Jack Atlas! The two of us are just friends, honest! We're like...Scoop Soldiers! Press partners! Bulletin Buddies!"

 _"DARK SIGNERS!"_ the Shadow taunted in his ear.

Konami did his best to ignore it.

"So, what? You two work together in the news?" Mindy inquired, tapping her chin. "But I thought you were a tattoo designer?"

"It's...complicated," Konami said.

 _"Oh yes. Quite so,"_ the Shadow agreed. _"How could they ever understand the greatness we are bound for, or the terror that awaits them in the future?"_

"Sure it is," Jasmine drawled. "Then let me ask you this. If you're really partners with this Carly chick, then why weren't you there with her at the Press Release, huh?!"

"I wish I had been," Konami admitted. "If I was, I might've been able to stop things before they got out of hand."

Indeed, everything had gone wrong starting with that Press Release. If he'd been there with her, he might've been able to smooth things over between her and Chazz and prevented the scandal from happening in the first place! Carly wouldn't have lost her job, which meant she wouldn't have been cast into despair, giving her the hate needed to awaken as a Dark Signer! Everything could've been avoided, if he'd only-

"Alright, that's enough of that!" Chazz said. "Are you here to gossip or help us practice? 'Cause if this is just gonna be one big interrogation and snark session, then I have lots of other things I could be doing. Y'know, like catching some Z's before my big event!"

Jasmine scowled at him, "I think you made it pretty clear in the last Duel that you don't particularly care about practicing with _us_ , Chazz!"

"Whaddaya mean? That's exactly what I was doing," he complained. "I told Konami that we would show off our combos to each other, so what's so wrong about me starting with my biggest and baddest one? The way I see it, you're just mad because you weren't good enough to stop it!"

"T-That's not true!" Jasmine shouted. "I-I totally could've beaten that Armed Dragon of yours if I'd wanted to!"

"Oh yeah? Then why didn't you?" Chazz inquired.

Jasmine flinched, "T-That's because..."

Watching as Jasmine racked her brain for a response, Konami let out a soft sigh of relief. The sudden change in topic had stopped him from going back down that path of self-doubt and what-ifs, and even worse, potentially revealing something to Jasmine and Mindy. While there wasn't anything terribly wrong with letting them in on the details of Konami's current connection to Carly, the two weren't exactly known for their secrecy. They had been some of the top gossipers back at the academy, and based on what Jasmine said earlier, she'd gone on to make it a full-blown career! There was no telling what she'd do with the information Konami had, and the last thing he wanted was to wake up one morning to find himself - much less Carly - in international news!

So no.

Jasmine and Mindy would not be learning anything of the Dark Signers, at least, not if he had anything to say about it.

 _'Looks like I owe you another one, Chazz,'_ he thought, glancing at the boy as he continued to argue with Jasmine over the results of the Duel. _'You might've done it in a rude way, but you took the hit so I wouldn't have to. Thanks.'_

He leaned back in the couch and relaxed, closing his eyes to enjoy the ride and finally get some proper rest-

 _"Oi! Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!"_

-only to find his respite interrupted the same person he'd just been thanking in his head.

"What?" he asked Chazz wearily, eyeing him lazily as the man glared back at him, furious.

"Don't you 'what' me! Do we look like we're done here?" Chazz questioned, gesturing to the table. "I might've shown you my best combo, but there's more than one move built into my Deck, and I doubt I've seen all of yours! We aren't stopping until we know each other's Decks and combos by heart, so don't even think about trying to sit back and relax now!"

"You want to duel some more?" Konami asked.

"Is the sky blue?" Chazz asked.

Konami sighed, but straightened his back and prepared himself for another match against Duel Academy's Loveliest Failures.

"Alright, alright..." He sighed, "Are we letting them go first, this time?"

"No, because we aren't dueling!" Jasmine complained with a huff.

"Like, yeah!" Mindy agreed. "You guys are way too mean when it comes to card games! We quit!"

"Fine by me!" Chazz snapped back. "You losers were barely good enough for a warm up, anyway!"

"Hey!" shouted Jasmine, "I know you beat us pretty quick, but that doesn't mean you have to rub it in!"

"Yeah, yeah, just hurry up and move aside already! If you aren't dueling, then Konami and I are just gonna have to get in some practice ourselves! Probably better this way, anyway. There's no faster way for the Chazz to learn a Deck than playing against it, after all!"

"Oh?" Konami inquired. "All these years, and now you've finally decided to have a rematch with me, eh Chazz?"

"Hmph," the man sniffed, folding his arms. "Don't sound so cocky, Red Hat. You might've seen my best combo, but there's plenty more where that comes from! You can bet that I'll learn all the strategies in your Deck by beating you here and now, so you'd better hope and pray that you learn as much by losing to me, because there's no way you'll win this time around."

"You're saying I'm gonna lose?" asked Konami. He gathered his cards and stepped to the other side of the couch, then took a seat across from Chazz. "Nice try, but the only loser here will be you!"

"You're both losers," Jasmine murmured, but she and Mindy scooted aside to watch the Duel anyway.

How could they miss it? For the first time in ages, a Duel between two of the best Duelists back at the academy was set to commence! It'd be prime gossip material!

"Like, for real!"

"Hmph, if we're gonna do it here, then I might as well spice things up a bit!" Chazz stated, flipping a switch on the side of the table. Instantly, the glass upon it began to glow, illuminating the table and the couches surrounding it with a soft artificial sheen. Digits and letters then materialized on its surface, forming into small readable letters that Konami examined thoroughly.

 _ **BATTLE BOX ACTIVATED**_

"Battle Box?" Konami asked, tilting his head at the term.

Chazz grinned at his confusion. "What, you didn't think I'd be satisfied with boring old tabletop Duel Monsters, did you? We Princetons are state-of-the-art, which is why I had this Battle Box installed the first chance I got! It acts as a miniature Duel Arena, bringing our monsters to life as we battle it out."

"What?! You mean we were playing on something that fancy the whole time and never knew?!" Mindy gasped. "Why didn't you say something?! We could've been using it the whole time!"

"Heh, as if I'd waste this tech on your lame Happy Lover!" Chazz snarked. "This is only meant to be used against worthy opponents, and you and Jasmine just don't make the cut!"

"Oooh! I bet Alexis would love to hear how you came to _that_ decision!" Jasmine growled.

Chazz ignored her.

Unlike before, he was focused on Konami. This was his chance to finally get payback for all the losses he had suffered at Konami and Jaden's hands. This time, he would be the one to emerge victorious! And if he managed to learn a little more about his future partner's Deck while doing it, well, that was just a bonus!

He shuffled his Deck, then placed it upon the glowing Deck Zone. Across from him, Konami did the same.

"Scared, Red Hat?" Chazz asked.

"You wish," Konami replied.

The two reached down toward their Decks, drew five cards, then glared at each other fiercely. A soft rumble echoed through the plane; the first bout of turbulence they'd experience over the long flight. They waited until it settled, and then...

 _ **"DUEL!"**_

 _ **KONAMI VS CHAZZ**_

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
CHAZZ - 4000 LP**_

"I'm going first!" Chazz shouted, reaching for a sixth card.

"Fine by me," Konami said as he did, "but haven't you ever heard of the term, 'Hospitality?'"

"My plane, my rules!" Chazz retorted. "I draw!"

 _ **TURN ONE - CHAZZ - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"And now that I have," he continued after doing so, "I'm playing this card: _Ojamatch!_ "

He placed the card face-up on the table.

"Uh oh, that's the card he used to pull off his big combo last time!" Mindy noticed worriedly.

"Heh, don't worry." He told her, "Unlike you, Konami's lucky! I just don't have the cards I need to pull that off right now."

"Then, if it's not Ojamagic that you're discarding," Jasmine inquired, "what are you getting rid of to activate Ojamatch's effect?"

" _Ojama Blue_ ," Chazz revealed, tossing the card from his hand to where his Graveyard pile would be. "And now that I've paid the cost to activate Ojamatch's effect, I'm adding Ojama Yellow and Armed Dragon LV5 to my hand!"

 _"Aww, thanks boss!"_ Chazz's Duel Spirit said appreciatively as he added it to his hand. His lips curled downward at its presence, but he continued on, nonetheless.

"And thanks to the effect of Ojamatch, I can Normal Summon either of my added monsters immediately! So come on out, Ojama Yellow!"

 _"Alright!"_ the beast grinned, pumping its fist as it leapt out in front of Chazz. It swiveled its butt around to face Konami, then grinned cheekily as it waved it around, mooning him.

Konami wrinkled his nose at it in disgust.

"Ugh," he muttered, eyes narrowed as Chazz finally placed the creature's card on the table.

The glass flashed as it registered its presence, and Ojama Yellow's spirit suddenly vanished, disappearing inside a tiny, miniatured version of a Solid Vision hologram. Jasmine and Mindy gasped in surprise as it appeared above the placed card, continuing to moon Konami in its shrunken, tiny figure.

 _Ojama Yellow - LV2 - LIGHT - Beast - (0/1000)_

"Whoa," Mindy breathed. "Look Jasmine, it's just like using a Duel Disk!"

"No kidding," Jasmine agreed, awed by what was happening before her very eyes. "This table of yours is awesome, Chazz! But tell me something! Does it make holograms of _any_ monster that's placed on it, or just your disgusting ones?"

She gestured down to Ojama Yellow, who was still waving its butt toward Konami. Chazz growled angrily at the sight.

"What the hell are you doing?" he grumbled, glaring at his Duel Spirit.

 _"Oh, y'know boss!"_ Yellow replied, _"Just trying to be intimidating!"_

"Well, you're failing! _Hard!_ " Chazz roared. He reached for his other drawn card. "You know what? Forget it. If you're just gonna clown around on the field, then I don't need you there!"

 _"Wait, what?!"_

"Since I summoned Ojama Yellow through the effect of my Ojamatch, that means I still have my regular Normal Summon to use!" Chazz told the group. "So I'll Tribute my Ojama Yellow to bring out the other monster I added to my hand. The Armed Dragon LV5!"

 _"Boss, no!"_ Yellow shouted, but it was too late. With a furious scowl, Chazz batted the hologram away, then reached down and tossed its corresponding card into the Graveyard pile. Field clear, he then placed his Armed Dragon card face-up on the table. The table's surface gleamed as it touched down, and Chazz grinned at the sight of his mighty dragon.

Though it was considerably smaller than the one summoned via Duel Disk - the current hologram could easily fit in the palm of one's hand - the Armed Dragon LV5 looked just as intimidating as Konami remembered. Rows upon rows of shining spikes lined its scales and fists, accompanied by a pair of drills that shot out from its knees and elbows. Its tiny bat-like wings flapped weakly behind it as they materialized, but before long they stopped moving entirely, prompting the green orbs of the dragon to narrow in rage.

 _Armed Dragon LV5 - LV5 - WIND - Dragon - (2400/1700)_

"Oooh!" Mindy clapped, thoroughly amused by Chazz's table. "Now you summon a monster, Konami! Maybe that cute Baby Dragon one!"

"I would, but it's not my Turn yet." He replied.

"Darn right it's not," Chazz said, "because I still have a few cards to play! I activate _Ojamassimilation_ , and use its effect to reveal my VW-Tiger Jet!"

"Uh oh, here we go again," Jasmine groaned.

Konami grimaced as well, knowing full well that Chazz had the resources to bring out both of its Fusion Materials. If the look on his face was any indication, then it was clear that Chazz knew it too. With a snide grin, he reached down toward his Graveyard and grabbed the two Ojamas housed inside.

"I banish my Ojama Yellow and Ojama Blue!" Chazz stated, tossing the cards off to the side. "And in case you've forgotten, two banishes means two Special Summons, so come on out, V-Tiger Jet and W-Wing Catapult!"

He placed the two cards down on the table after grabbing them from his Deck, then grinned as their tiny hologram forms materialized on their cards.

 _V-Tiger Jet - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1600/1800)_

 _W-Wing Catapult - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1300/1500)_

Konami's frown deepened.

"Oh yeah, you know what time it is!" Chazz said, catching the look.

"Time for lunch?" Mindy inquired.

Chazz facepalmed.

"No!" he shouted. "It's time to Chazz it up, because I'm banishing my V-Tiger Jet and W-Wing Catapult to Fusion Summon my VW-Tiger Catapult!"

A golden light burst from the table as he placed the Fusion monster onto its surface. Sparks of lightning ran across its smooth glass, leaping out from the sphere of light that appeared above the card's slender form. After a moment, the sphere cracked and dissolved, revealing the high-tech machine hidden beneath!

Formed by combining the power of V and W, the Tiger-faced jet soared around the table, performing spins and loop-de-loops in the air. Mindy ooh'd and ah'd at the sight, only to pout in disappointment as the Tiger Jet returned to its card and turned to face Konami.

 _VW-Tiger Catapult - LV6 - LIGHT - Machine - (2000/2100)_

"Can't say that it's as impressive as your Turn last Duel..." Konami admitted, "but two monsters with more than two thousand Attack Points on your first Turn is still really good. I see you haven't been slacking off, Chazz."

"Of course I haven't!" the man remarked, "Unlike you and Jaden, I've been living in the Pro Leagues, facing off against powerful opponents each and every day! I haven't had the time to let my skills dwindle, and now you're about to find out just how much better they've gotten! I'd like to attack, but since it's my first Turn, I guess I'll have to just throw down two face-downs and call it a move."

"Then it's time to Chazz it down, because now it's my Turn!" Konami replied. He reached out for his Deck and drew a card.

 _ **TURN TWO - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"Did you draw something good?" Mindy asked. "Well? Did you?!"

"Good enough," He told her, placing the card face-up on the table, "because it's my _Polymerization_ Spell Card! By casting this, I can fuse two or more monsters in my hand or on my Field into one, and I've got just the ones in mind!"

"Oh? Do you now?" Chazz snarked.

"Yeah," nodded Konami, grabbing the cards and revealing them to the group. "My _Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact_ and _Evocator Chevalier!_ Since they're both Gemini monsters, I can fuse them together to bring out this - my _Superalloy Beast Raptinus!_ "

A hand-sized explosion seemed to erupt from the card's surface as it touched down on the table, and Konami watched as it burst out into a pillar of light that shot up toward the jet's ceiling. As it faded, the low growl of his monster echoed from the table, and he glanced down to spot Raptinus in its full glory!

Standing on four differently sized legs, the green-scaled dragon lashed its long neck around wildly, as if looking for a snack. Wide, tan wings spread out from its sides, and they flapped out uncontrollably, as if the monster weren't used to them. The same could be said for its long, purple tail, whose components - much like the rest of the beast - seemed to be comprised of various monsters strung together. It was clear to everyone that this was no mere dragon...

It was an abomination!

 _Superalloy Beast Raptinus - LV8 - LIGHT - Dragon - (2200/2200)_

"Ugh, you still use that old thing?" Chazz asked.

"I wasn't," Konami admitted, "but since I know you're the old fashioned type, I figured I'd keep it in, just in case."

"Hn," Chazz sneered. "I'll show you old-fashioned. I activate my Trap card, _Bottomless Trap Hole_! When you summon a monster with more than fifteen hundred Attack Points, this card banishes them! I hope you enjoyed summoning that thing Konami, because it's about to go Bye-Bye!"

"Not so fast, Chazz!" He replied. "I've got a card of my own, _Crossout Designator!_ "

He slapped the Spell face-up on the table as he spoke.

"By activating this, I can declare one card and banish it from my Deck! Then, until the end of this Turn, any card with that name has its effects negated! The card name I declare is... _Bottomless Trap Hole!_ "

"Say what?!" Chazz gasped, leaning down on the table as Konami grabbed a copy of the Trap from his Deck. "You have that card too?!"

"Obviously," he drawled, showing Chazz the card before tossing it in his banished pile. "And since I do, that means the effect of the Bottomless Trap Hole _you_ just activated is negated, which means my Superalloy Beast Raptinus is here to stay!"

"Ugh...!" grunted Chazz.

"And now that I don't have to worry about you banishing my monster..." Konami continued, "I think I'll bring out another one! I Normal Summon my very first Chemicritter, _Carbo Crab!_ "

The table flashed as he placed the card upon it, and the sparkling form of a tiny crab emerged soon after. Its shell was hard and gold, housing a series of blue molecules that sat around a giant yellow C plastered in the center of its body. Its right claw glowed and shimmer with the power of Carbon, and the critter snapped it several times toward Chazz's monsters, as if daring them to approach.

 _Chemicritter Carbo Crab - LV2 - FIRE - Aqua - (700/1400)_

"Heh, you call that a monster?" Chazz inquired.

"Has more Attack Points than your Ojamas," Konami retorted. "And an effect to boot! Normally, I wouldn't be able to use it right off the bat since its a Gemini monster, but thanks to my Raptinus' passive ability, I don't have to worry about Gemini Summoning him!"

"Huh?" Jasmine asked from beside him. "Why not?"

"Because," Chazz answered for him, "Superalloy Beast Raptinus has an effect that treats all Gemini monsters on the Field as Effect monsters! Don't you remember anything from Crowler's classes?"

"Those were years ago Chazz!" Jasmine complained, "Of course I don't!"

"Anyway," Konami said, trying to stay on subject. "Thanks to that, I can use Carbo Crab's effect right away, and that's exactly what I plan on doing!"

Chazz grimaced, "And? Just what sort of effect does this Carbo Crab of yours have?"

"One that'll give me a few more resources! See, during my Main Phase, Carbo Crab here lets me send a Gemini monster from my Deck to my Graveyard! Then, I get to add one Gemini monster from my Deck to my hand too!"

"Tsk...! So it's a dumper and a searcher, huh?"

"That's right," Konami grinned, "and I know just who I'm dumping: my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

He revealed the card before setting it in the Graveyard alongside his other cards.

"And now that he's in there, I'll go ahead and add a Gemini monster to my hand too! This time, it'll be my good ol' Black Flare Dragon!"

"Hmph, your new centerpiece, huh?" Chazz inquired. "Planning on burning me to death like you did those losers?"

"Maybe, but before that, I'll be trying something else. I cast Swing of Memories! This card lets me revive a Normal monster from my Graveyard until the End Phase of this Turn. Naturally, I'll be summoning back the monster I just sent there; my good friend, _Red-Eyes Archfiend!_ "

The raging black demon snarled as Konami laid its card on the table, engaging the Solid Vision systems that created the holograms. With a fiendish growl, it burst out from its card's artwork, moving to join Carbo Crab and Raptinus in staring down the Chazz's own powerful monster.

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"Hey, hang on! That Red-Eyes Archfiend is an Effect monster!" Mindy shouted. "Swing of Memories shouldn't work on it!"

Konami sighed, "Gemini monsters are treated as Normal while they're in the Graveyard. That means that any card that supports Normal monsters in the Graveyard supports them as well."

"Ooooh," she breathed, "and aren't they treated as Normal on the Field too? So you could probably use support for them there, as well! Like Justi-Break, or...or Symbols of Duty!"

"Yeah. Unfortunately, Gemini monsters are still treated as Effect monsters when in the Deck or my hand, so cards like Unexpected Dai or Faustian Bargain won't work."

" _A-hem!_ " Chazz interrupted with a glare. "Is this a lesson or a Duel? Stop being distracted and come on, already! I don't have all day here!"

"Actually, since we're on a plane right now with nothing better to do, ya kinda do." Konami countered.

"Shut up!" barked Chazz. "Just hurry up and make your move already before I skip you!"

"Alright, if that's what you really want. Since Raptinus is on the Field, that means the Red-Eyes Archfiend I just brought back is treated as an Effect monster, just like my Carbo Crab!"

"Tsk! Should've known...!" Chazz grunted.

"Alright!" Mindy cheered, "Now it gets to use its effect!"

"That's correct," Konami confirmed with a grin. "And it's quite the nasty one! You see, once per Turn, Archfiend here destroys all monsters my opponent controls whose Defense Points are less than its Attack Points; and since my Archfiend has twenty five hundred Attack Points, well, I'm sure you know what I'm getting at."

Jasmine nodded, "Yeah! It means that all of Chazz's monsters will be destroyed!"

The archfiend growled as red lightning crackled around its claws. After gathering the energy, it swung its arms forward, releasing the electricity in a wave of destructive force. It traveled across the table, headed toward Armed Dragon LV5 and the VW-Tiger Jet.

But Chazz was ready.

"Hold it right there, Red Hat!" he shouted, flipping over his last face-down. "I've got a Trap Card; Ojama Pajama!"

"Ojama what now?" Konami asked incredulously.

"Ojama Pajama," Chazz repeated. "And it's got a few effects, one of which will stop your Red-Eyes Archfiend in its tracks. See, when an Armed Dragon or LIGHT Machine-Type monster on my field would be destroyed, I can banish one "Ojama" card from my hand, Field, or Graveyard instead. And in case you've forgotten, I've still got a few of them."

He swung his hand through his Graveyard pile, scattering the cards into the air and plucking one of them out before they fell back down in a neat stack.

"I banish..." he said as he glanced at it, "this! The Ojamatch I played last Turn!"

A hologram of the card appeared in front of his monsters as he placed it in the banished zone, and it took the force of Red-Eyes Archfiend's deadly attack. As the light from the ensuing explosion faded, Armed Dragon LV5 and VW-Tiger Jet were revealed to be unscathed. They continued to growl and roar their engines respectively, awaiting the coming fight!

"Urk...!" Konami winced. Still, he wasn't deterred. "You might have stopped by card effect, but you can't stop the battle! Red-Eyes Archfiend, attack and destroy Armed Dragon LV5!"

"Nuh uh," Chazz interrupted, wagging his finger. "My Ojama Pajama's effect activates again. It might not stop the battle, but it will prevent my Armed Dragon from being destroyed by it! I banish the Ojama Delta Hurricane in my hand to protect my Armed Dragon!"

"No way, you can use that effect more than once per Turn!" Jasmine asked.

Konami grimaced, "Fine, so your Armed Dragon won't be destroyed, but you'll still take the damage from the attack!"

Red-Eyes Archfiend roared in agreement, and it launched another wave of lightning toward the spiked dragon. A tiny eruption burst from the table as it landed, and Chazz grimaced as the numbers on the table representing his Life Points began to fall.

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
CHAZZ - 3900 LP**_

"And now," Konami continued, moving forward before Chazz could reply, "my Raptinus attacks your VW-Tiger Jet!"

"And he's out of cards to protect himself with this time too!" Mindy noticed. "The attack will go through!"

"Ugh!" Chazz winced, realizing the same. He could get rid of Ojama Pajama, if he really wanted to, but that would keep him from using it again later!

"Sorry VW," he apologized, "but this is where you get off."

The Tiger Jet erupted into a flaming wreckage as Raptinus smashed it with its corrosive and terribly long tail. The numbers for Chazz's Life Points dropped even further as a result, but the difference was so low that it barely made a difference.

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
CHAZZ - 3700 LP**_

Konami scowled.

"Due to the effect of my Swing of Memories," he stated, "my Red-Eyes Archfiend now returns to the Graveyard."

He reluctantly pushed the card back to the Graveyard pile, and the hologram of the archfiend began to fade away with a hiss. Only Raptinus and Carbo Crab remained on his Field now, while Chazz still had his powerful Armed Dragon.

"Tsk..." Konami grunted. "I end my Turn."

"Then that makes it my move," Chazz replied with a smirk. "I draw!"

 _ **TURN THREE - CHAZZ - ONE CARD IN HAND - 3700 LP**_

"And what a draw it is," he then said. "I summon my Y-Dragon Head in Attack Mode!"

He placed the card onto the table, prompting a large metallic red dragon to screech into view. It soared around the table much like Tiger Jet had when it first appeared, then came to a resting position above Chazz's shoulder, where it waited for further orders.

 _Y-Dragon Head - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1500/1600)_

It didn't have to wait long for them.

"Battle Phase!" Chazz shouted, sweeping his hand forward. "Turn that crab into the seafood it's meant to be, Y-Dragon Head!"

Acknowledging the command, the mechanical red dragon shot forward, ready to attack. Using its air mobility to remain out of Carbo Crab's range, it gaped its mouth open and released a stream of electrical energy. The wave crashed down upon the table with a bang, obliterating Carbo Crab completely, along with the chemical element it represented. With a soft boom, Konami reared back, then watched as the numbers on his own Life Point counter began to fall.

 _ **KONAMI - 3200 LP  
CHAZZ - 3700 LP**_

"And now that the Crab is gone, it's time for your other monster to join it." Chazz continued. He swept his hand forward, gesturing toward Raptinus. "Go, Armed Dragon LV5! Destroy that monstrosity with your _Infernal Roar!_ "

Nodding, the large, spiked dragon leaned back on its hind legs and released a hideous, high-pitched scream. Visible vibrations tore through the air, smashing down upon Konami's Superalloy Beast one after another in an attempt to drive the beast insane. Raptinus roared out in pain as each blow landed, and after stumbling around for a while, it finally crashed down onto its side, unable to take any more! Realizing it had won, Chazz's Armed Dragon then moved in for the kill, releasing one last scream that soared across the table. It shattered Raptinus scale by scale as it tore through its body, and once it had finished, Armed Dragon let loose a victorious shriek.

 _ **KONAMI - 3000 LP  
CHAZZ - 3700 LP**_

"No more free Gemini monsters for you," Chazz said.

Konami frowned at the words. "You'll pay for that!"

"Oh, I'll pay alright, but not for that!" the Chazz replied. "On the contrary, I'm paying for _good_ things to happen. Now that I'm in my Main Phase Two, I'm activating my Ojama Pajama's other effect! Once per Turn, it lets me add one "Ojama" card to my hand, and then I have to discard one card from my hand!"

"But you don't have cards in your hand," Jasmine pointed out. "Won't that mean you'll just have to discard whatever card you add?"

"Yep, and that's exactly what I plan on doing!" Chazz gloated. "I add Ojama Black to my hand!"

 _"Oh, thanks boss!"_ the drooling, snot-nosed Ojama said as Chazz added it to his hand. _"I really appreciate-"_

"-and off it goes." Chazz stated, tossing it into the Graveyard.

"That's pretty cold of you," Konami said.

"Heh, it knew what it was in for! But do you?"

"What?"

"Here," Chazz said, proceeding to his End Phase. "Let me give you a hint. It starts with LV...and ends with 7!"

"Ah!"

"Now you're getting it! The effect of my Armed Dragon LV5 activates! During the End Phase of a Turn it destroyed a monster, it evolves to the next Level!"

The Armed Dragon roared as steam began to erupt from its body, burning away the fat and transforming the beast into a leaner, meaner form. Bulky skin shrunk down to lean, sturdy muscles, and its armor shifted and changed, transforming to match the dragon's new appearance. Barbed gauntlets became bladed wristbands, and the spikes lining its stomach and shoulders took on a jagged new form. Even its face had gained new features! A pair of sleek blades had grown down from its chin, stretching out from its metallic scales that ran down to the base of its neck.

"Behold," Chazz stated as he placed the new monster's corresponding card onto the table, "the Armed Dragon LV7!"

The dragon roared ferociously upon being named, and the table shuddered at its new, imposing presence.

 _Armed Dragon LV7 - LV7 - WIND - Dragon - (2800/1000)_

"Oh no!" Mindy shrieked, cupping her face. "That's half of that OP monster Chazz summoned last Duel! Is he about to go off again?!"

"No," Konami stated, "because even though he's got a new monster, it's my Turn now, and I'm not letting it go to waste!"

"We'll see about that," Chazz snarked.

"Yes, we will. My move. I draw!"

 _ **TURN FOUR - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 3000 LP**_

"Alright, just what I needed!" Konami said. "I cast _Red-Eyes Insight!_ This lets me send a "Red-Eyes" monster from my hand or Deck to the Grave to add a "Red-Eyes" Spell or Trap to my hand!"

"Yeah," Chazz drawled, "I heard as much when you used it against Mindy earlier. So? What're you sending to the Grave? A little Baby Dragon?"

"No," Konami denied. "I'm sending this - my Red-Eyes Retro Dragon!"

He revealed the card before placing it in the Graveyard pile, then reached back into his Deck.

"And as for the Spell or Trap I'm adding to my hand, I think my Red-Eyes Fusion will do just fine!"

"Of course it will," Chazz grunted. "Why wouldn't you pick a card that lets you Fusion Summon from the _Deck?_ "

"Exactly my point," Konami agreed with a grin. "Which is why I'll go ahead and play it right now!"

He slapped the Spell onto the table, grinning as a swirling storm of Fusion Energy materialized on the Field.

"I fuse the Red-Eyes B. Dragon and Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight that are slumbering in my Deck!" Konami declared, sending the two cards into the Graveyard as their hologram forms vanished into the storm of power. "Together, these two monsters will combine to Fusion Summon...the Red-Eyes Slash Dragon!"

A red pulse erupted from the storm, shattering its energy to give form to something new. As the eruptive and colorful energy cleared, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon could be seen soaring within! But...it was different from the usual Red-Eyes. Unlike the ordinary Black Dragon, it was clad in the bladed armor of the Red-Eyes Iron Knight, granting it extra attack and defense. Snarling as it crashed down upon the field, the Red-Eyes Slash Dragon took in its new form, then let loose a victorious howl that shook the table.

 _Red-Eyes Slash Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2800/2400)_

"Battle!" Konami shouted, leaning forward. "Red-Eyes Slash Dragon attacks Armed Dragon LV7!"

"Are you mad?" Chazz inquired. "Our monsters have the same Attack Points!"

"No, they don't, because I'm activating my Slash Dragon's effect!" Konami revealed. "When a "Red-Eyes" monster declares an attack, I can equip Slash Dragon with a Warrior monster in my Graveyard, and if I do, it gains two hundred Attack Points!"

"Say what?!"

"I equip Slash Dragon with the Gearfried I used for its Fusion Summon! This'll increase my Slash Dragon's Attack Points to Three Thousand, giving it just enough power to get over your Armed Dragon!"

 _Red-Eyes Slash Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2800+200/2400)_

Screaming as the Iron Knight materialized on its back, Red-Eyes Slash Dragon charged forward and stretched its bladed arm out to meet Armed Dragon's! With a destructive clash, it cleaved through the red dragon's spiked scales, prompting an enormous explosion to engulf the card and shake the table upon which they stood.

"Ugh...!" Chazz grunted, wincing as his Life Points fell.

 _ **KONAMI - 3000 LP  
CHAZZ - 3500 LP**_

"You might've gotten at my Life Points, but you won't destroy my Dragon!" Chazz roared. "Once again, I'm using Ojama Pajama's effect! This time, I'll banish the Ojama Black in my Graveyard to prevent my Armed Dragon's destruction!"

The ghostly visage of the Ojama brother could be seen screaming in the explosion as it took the hit for Armed Dragon, only to vanish as quickly as it came. The red dragon then emerged from the flaming smoke unscathed, ready to resume its battle with Slash Dragon.

"Ojama Pajama again..." Konami growled, "That card's really starting to piss me off!"

"Well, if that's all it takes to get you mad, then you're about to be furious, because now it's my Turn again!" Chazz revealed. "I draw!"

 _ **TURN FIVE - CHAZZ - ONE CARD IN HAND - 3500 LP**_

"Now, I activate the effect of the Ojamassimilation in my Graveyard!" he stated. "When I have three "Ojama" monsters in my banished section, I can shuffle them back into the Deck to draw one card! So I shuffle my Ojama Yellow, Ojama Black, and Ojama Blue back into the Deck and reap my reward!"

 _"Oh, boss! I knew you cared!"_ Ojama Yellow cheered as its card was lifted back toward the Deck. _"I'll never doubt you again, promise!"_

"Whatever," Chazz glowered, shuffling it inside along with the sniffling Ojama Black and silent Ojama Blue. "Just do me a favor and send me something useful, will ya?"

 _"Sure thing, boss! Just you wait and see!"_ Ojama Yellow promised before vanishing.

"Now then, I draw!"

 _ **CHAZZ - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 3500 LP**_

HIs eyes widened.

"Alright," he decided after studying the card, "I can use this. I activate the effect of my Ojama Pajama!"

"Ugh...!" Konami winced.

"It's always the same thing with you!" Jasmine groaned.

"Don't like it? Too bad! Thanks to Ojama Pajama's effect, I get to add another "Ojama" card to my hand, then discard another! I add Ojamagic to my hand, and it'll be the card I discard as well!"

"Ojamagic, huh?" Konami's eyes widened upon tasting the words on his lips. "Wait! That's the card that-"

"-you got it!" Chazz finished for him. "When Ojamagic is discarded, I get to add Ojama Yellow, Ojama Green, and Ojama Black to my hand!"

 _"Whoopie!"_

 _"Oh yeah!"_

 _"Please, not again!"_ Ojama Black cried.

"Shut up! You won't be here for long anyway!" Chazz told the three cards, "Because I'll be fusing you three losers into an even bigger loser!"

"Who are you calling a loser, Chazz?!" Jasmine asked.

He glared at her in frustration. "Not you! I was talking to my cards!"

"Oh, so you weren't insulting me, you were just being a basket case like usual!" she replied.

"I'm not crazy!" Chazz shouted, even as the floating Duel Spirits of the Ojama Brothers hovered around him frantically. "I'm just-! Y'know what? Forget it. You can call me whatever you want, because after I summon this card, the only thing that matters is that I'll be a winner."

"Those are some big words," Konami said. "You got the cards to back them up?"

"You bet I do, because like I just said, I'm fusing my Ojama Yellow, Green, and Black together!" replied Chazz. "And there's only one card in my hand that'll let me do that. And that's this one, _Polymerization!_ "

With a groan, the table shook and shuddered as the swirling storm of fusion energy materialized upon it. Orange and blue colors swirled about like a hurricane, and the three Ojama spirits were dragged in with incredible ease. Instead of being frightened or horrified as one might expect, however, they were ecstatic.

 _"Oh yeah, it's Fusion time boys!"_

 _"Yeah,"_ Ojama Green agreed, hopping over its brothers as it fell into the storm. _"We're about to go big!"_

 _"Really big!"_ Ojama Black noted.

 _"Bigger than everyone else!"_ Yellow screamed.

And with those words, an enormous light burst forth from the storm, absorbing the three separate monsters and combining them into a new being!

Standing on two remarkably muscular legs, this new being was larger than life, at least in regards to the other monsters on the Field. Its face took up much of its body, composed across almost its entire being, save for the pair of stubby white arms poking out from its sides. A long green cape sat tied to the monster's back, and like the other Ojamas, a red pair of bikini briefs were wrapped around its waist, obscuring the horrors that no man, woman, or Duel Monster, should have to see. Its only other distinguishing feature was the small crown adorned atop its head, which shone with an elegance that a monster bearing the name Ojama did not deserve.

"Please," Chazz said with a grin as the monster stood tall, "give a warm welcome to my Ojama King!"

 _Ojama King - LV6 - LIGHT - Beast - (0/3000)_

"Uh, did you mean to summon it in Attack Position?" Mindy asked, tilting her head while staring at the strange monster. "I mean, that card has no Attack!"

"I know, and I'll deal with that shortly, but first, I'm gonna use Ojama King's effect!" Chazz explained. "When it's face-up on the Field, I can choose three of my opponent's Monster Zones and block them from being used! Know what that means, Konami?"

"What?" He asked in reply, "That you're a jerk?"

"No," Chazz countered, "it means there won't be any swarming coming from you today, because now that Ojama King is here, you can only have two monsters on the Field at a time!"

"Congratulations," Konami drawled. "You can count."

"Yeah, and you know what my math tells me?"

"Oh, I dunno. That one plus one equals two?"

"No!" Chazz growled, "That you're about to lose! I activate my Ojama Country Field Spell!"

He placed the card on the table, prompting its plain glass surface to transform into a picture of the card's artwork. A soft, sandy breeze then began to blow gently around the table, providing an aesthetic to compensate for the lack of actual scenery.

"Ojama Country, huh? Now there's a card I haven't seen in a while."

"Like, what does it do?" Mindy asked.

"Well it does a few things," Chazz explained, "but there's only one that matters! And that's that when I control a face-up "Ojama" monster, the Attack and Defense Points of all monsters on the Field get reversed!"

"Say what?!" Jasmine gasped. "All of them?!"

"That's right! From my Y-Dragon Head, to Konami's Slash Dragon, all the way up to my Ojama King! They all get switched, for better...or for worse!"

Ojama King posed threateningly as its zero Attack Points suddenly grew to three thousand! In contrast, Chazz's Armed Dragon suddenly knelt down meekly, losing much of the strength that had made it so imposing in the first place. Compared to them, Y-Dragon Head and Red-Eyes Slash Dragon changed the least, as their Attack and Defense Points - while not equal - were quite similar.

 _Ojama King - LV6 - LIGHT - Beast - (3000/0)_

 _Armed Dragon LV7 - LV7 - WIND - Dragon - (1000/2800)_

 _Y-Dragon Head - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1600/1500)_

 _Red-Eyes Slash Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400+200/2800)_

"Uh oh," Mindy noticed. "Now Chazz is the one with the strongest monster on the Field!"

"Yeah, that Ojama King now has three thousand Attack Points, while Konami's Slash Dragon only has twenty six hundred with its attack boost!"

"But wait, if Ojama King destroys Red-Eyes Slash Dragon, that'll only leave Konami with twenty six hundred Life Points!"

"The exact number of Life Points I'll take from him with my Armed Dragon and Y-Dragon Head's Direct Attacks!" Chazz explained. "In other words...once your monster is gone, Konami, I'll win."

"Tch...!"

"Heh, I told you that you wouldn't beat me! And now, you're about to see it for yourself! Ojama King, attack and destroy the Red-Eyes Slash Dragon! _Flying Belly Flop Drop!_ "

 _"OH HO!"_ Ojama King declared, posing and pointing a finger high in the sky. It bobbed on its feet as if it were about to start dancing, then suddenly started running across the table and leapt high into the air. Its wide, imposing form cast a shadow on the Red-Eyes Slash Dragon and the Gearfried riding it. They gazed upward upon noticing it, but by then, it was far too late. Ojama King crashed down upon the table, flattening its targets and inflicting damage to Konami's Life Points as a result.

 _ **KONAMI - 2600 LP  
CHAZZ - 3500 LP**_

"And now, I'm free to finish you off!" Chazz started, only for Konami to suddenly swing his hand outward.

"I don't think so. You've activated my Red-Eyes Slash Dragon's effect! When it's destroyed by battle or card effect, I can Special Summon any monsters that were equipped to it! And since my Red-Eyes Iron Knight was an equip card when you destroyed my Red-Eyes..."

"...It comes back to the Field," Chazz growled, watching as a hologram of the armored knight appeared just as Konami had explained. "But don't forget, it'll have its Attack and Defense stats swapped just like every other monster on the Field!"

The bladed warrior grunted as it manifested, a piece of its armor chipping off to register the switch in its Attack and Defense Points.

 _Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight - LV4 - DARK - Warrior - (1600/1800)_

"And since it only has sixteen hundred Attack Points because of it," Chazz continued, "I can attack and destroy it with my Y-Dragon Head!"

"Going for a mutual kill, are you?" Konami growled.

"Nope, because unlike your monster, my Y-Dragon Head has Ojama Pajama looking out for it!"

"That's right! And since he just Fusion Summoned using three Ojama monsters, he has plenty of cards to banish to make sure his monster don't die off!" Jasmine realized.

"Which means that by banishing my Ojama Yellow, you're the only one who'll be suffering!" Chazz said, grinning at Konami. "Now, do it, Y-Dragon Head! Destroy Gearfried!"

The mechanical red dragon screeched upon hearing the command, then fired its electrical cannon at Gearfried. Scowling, the Red-Eyes Iron Knight attempted to block the blast with its twin blades, but the sudden distraction caused by the ghost of Ojama Yellow caught it off-guard, allowing Y-Dragon Head to finish it off.

" _Awah!"_ Gearfried roared as it was overtaken.

With a wretched screech, the electrical blast exploded, engulfing Gearfried whole in a wave of sparks and flames. Gazing out over the wreckage, Y-Dragon Head tilted its head upward and screamed victoriously, before returning to its card. As it did, Chazz swung his hand forward one last time.

"You're defenseless!" he shouted, directing his last monster to attack. "Engage him, Armed Dragon! Cut his Life points down to size with your Armed Punisher!"

The spiked red dragon growled and fell back onto its back legs. Gaping its heated maw wide, it then proceeded to loose a threatening roar that sent tremors through the table. Konami braced himself upon hearing the sound, and the very second he did, it happened. Several spiked blades launched themselves from Armed Dragon's scales, and they rained down upon Konami's side of the field, knocking his Life Points down into the ground.

 _ **KONAMI - 1600 LP  
CHAZZ - 3500 LP**_

Its job finished, the Armed Dragon released a haunting sigh, then fell back onto all fours to await further commands. Chazz chuckled at the sight.

"You're falling behind, Red Hat." He told Konami, "One more Turn from me, and the only number left in your Life Points will be zero! Then everyone here will realize that I've still got it, and that the Chazz is still the best Duelist Duel Academy's ever produced!"

"You summoned Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon in one turn," Konami replied. "I don't think you 'having it' or not is in question! It's obvious you're just as good as you used to be, if not more so!"

"Hmph!" Chazz snorted, folding his arms. "Well, it's nice to see that somebody here's noticed!"

"However," Konami continued, cutting Chazz's glee short. "Just because your skills haven't dwindled doesn't mean I'll just sit here and let you knock me around. You say you'll beat me on your next Turn? Well, that means I just have to make sure you don't have a next Turn! You know what that means, Chazz?"

"What? That you're gonna surrender?"

"Please," Konami scoffed. "It means, that this is it. Here and now, I'm declaring it! For better or worse, this'll be my _FINAL TURN!_ "

"Ungh...!" Chazz grimaced, flustered. "Yeah, it'll be your final Turn because I'll beat you on mine!"

"We'll see about that," Konami chuckled, reaching down toward his Deck. "Right now in fact, because it's my Draw!"

Trusting in the heart of the cards, he pulled a card from the top of his Deck, and prepared himself for what destiny had in store.

 _ **TURN SIX - KONAMI - TWO CARDS - 1600 LP**_

His eyes ran over the appearance of his drawn card...

And he smirked.

"I activates Cards of the Red Stone!" he declared, revealing the card and throwing it onto the table. "This lets me send one Level Seven "Red-Eyes" monster from my hand to the Graveyard and draw two cards! Then, I can send a Level Seven "Red-Eyes" monster from my Deck to the Graveyard as well!"

"So it's a fancier Pot of Greed?" Jasmine asked, "Sounds like a waste!"

"Maybe for other Decks, but for "Red-Eyes" and Geminis, the Graveyard's exactly where I want my cards!" Konami explained. He then revealed the card he'd pay as cost. "I'll send the Black Flare Dragon I've been holding in my hand to the Graveyard so I can draw two cards!"

He tossed the card gently into the Graveyard pile before reaching back into his Deck and grabbing two more. He glanced them over with a nod, then swung his hand back toward Chazz.

"Then, I'll send a second copy of Black Flare Dragon to the Graveyard from my Deck!" he explained.

"A second copy?" Chazz inquired, grimacing.

"What? You thought you were the only one who ran more than one of the same card?" Konami asked. "Please. I might trust in the Heart of the Cards, but even my drawing skill has limits!"

"Tsk...!"

"Anyway," he continued, ignoring Chazz's scowl, "now that I've got two more cards in my hand, I'll use one of them to finish you off here and now! I cast... _Dragon's Mirror!_ "

"Ah...!" Chazz's eyes widened frantically, "No way! Not that card!"

"But it is!" Konami said, placing the card on the field. "And you know what that means!"

"But we don't!" Mindy called from beside him. "So why don't you explain it to us all nice like?"

"Very well," He decided, folding his arms with a smirk while gazing at Chazz. "Dragon's Mirror is a Spell that lets me banish Fusion Material monsters from my Graveyard. When I do, I can then Fusion Summon the monster requiring those materials from my Extra Deck!"

"So, in other words, it's just another fancy version of Polymerization?" Jasmine inquired.

"That's right, and I have just the Fusion monster to finish Chazz off!" Konami revealed. "I banish my Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon and my Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning!"

A giant mirror rose from the depths of the table as Konami spoke, revealing the images of the two monsters in its glass before swirling them together in a wretched union. As their forms began to coalesce into a single appearance, Konami closed his eyes and began to chant.

 _"The skies and sea tremble before an awesome foe. Become the embodiment of their rage! Fusion Summon! The darkest devil, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon!"_

The flaming face of the demon dragon shattered out of the mirror with a wretched roar at that moment, then emerged entirely to take to the Field. Muscular red flesh burned hot and heavy across its body, encased behind a fiery steel ribcage and sharp black scales. A pair of jagged red wings shot out from across its back, but they could barely be seen behind the pair of flaming streams jetting out from Black Skull's face. Snarling and igniting the plumes ever more, the Archfiend Black Skull Dragon crashed down onto the table on its hind legs, then raised its clawed hands and prepared to fight!

 _Archfiend Black Skull Dragon - LV9 - DARK - Dragon - (3200/2500)_

"That monster is pretty impressive looking," Chazz admitted after a moment, "but don't forget about my Ojama Country's effect! It'll switch your monster's Attack and Defense Points, meaning that thirty two hundred Attack becomes twenty five hundred, which isn't enough to get over my Ojama King!"

 _Archfiend Black Skull Dragon - LV9 - DARK - Dragon - (2500/3200)_

"You're right about that," Konami agreed. "With only twenty five hundred Attack Points, my Black Skull Dragon just doesn't have the firepower it needs to defeat your Ojama. But it does have the strength to overcome your Armed Dragon!"

Chazz's eyes widened in shock.

"That's right!" Mindy cheered, "Thanks to that Ojama Country card, Chazz's Armed Dragon LV7 only has a thousand Attack Points!"

"Which means this is going to hurt you more than it hurts me, Chazz!" Konami said. "Go, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon! Attack Armed Dragon LV7 with your _Infernal Fire Blast!_ "

A rousing roar filled the room as Black Skull Dragon snapped its wings wide open. Without waiting for another command, it charged forward, using its superior might and size to overpower Armed Dragon completely. The spiked red dragon tried to fight back, using its armor and bladed appendages to try and gain the upper hand, but a single swipe of Black Skull Dragon's claw was all it took to rip Armed Dragon's armor apart. The beast fell onto its side from the force of the blow, and Black Skull Dragon quickly pinned it down with its left foot. Digging its claws deep into Armed Dragon's neck to keep it in place, Black Skull then lowered its head, and began to charge a superhot beam in its mouth.

"I activate Ojama Pajama to banish Ojama Green!" Chazz shouted fiercely.

"It doesn't matter," Konami replied, " _because you'll still take the damage!_ "

Archfiend Black Skull Dragon fired, and the table went white.

 _ **KONAMI - 1600 LP  
CHAZZ - 2000 LP**_

As the smoke cleared, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon was revealed unscathed, and beneath it, the scarred and singed Armed Dragon. The dissolving skeleton of Ojama Green was present on its face, revealing it to have taken the brunt of the blast at the last possible second, saving Armed Dragon from death. Unfortunately, it wouldn't save Chazz.

"Archfiend Black Skull Dragon's effect activates!" Konami continued, stunning the man.

"W-What'd you just say?!"

"During the end of a Battle Phase in which it participated in damage calculation," Konami growled, "I can shuffle one "Red-Eyes" Normal monster in my Graveyard back into my Deck, and inflict damage to you equal to that monster's Attack Points!"

"No..." Chazz breathed, slamming his palms down on the table. "It can't be!"

"I shuffle back my second Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"

The ghostly image of the dragon appeared behind Black Skull's shoulders, and the flaming exhaust pipes on its face ignited once more.

"That's twenty four hundred points of damage, Chazz. In other words..." Konami whispered, narrowing his eyes, "Game Over."

Black Skull released another fire blast, and Chazz fell back in his couch, defeated.

 _ **KONAMI - 1600 LP  
CHAZZ - 0 LP**_

"D-Darn it...! Darn it!" he whispered, staring at the zero on the table in shock. " _DAAAAARN IT!_ "

His fist smacked down on the table as the holograms vanished.

"I demand a rematch! No, two rematches! We'll do best outta three!"

"Ho ho!" Konami chuckled darkly. "You wanna do an actual Match now? I bet you wouldn't be half as interested if you had won!"

"Shut up! That's beside the point!"

"Aww, don't be such a sore loser, Chazz! Jasmine and I lost too, remember?!" Mindy chirped.

"Yeah, and I seem to remember you having at least two rematches, one of which was a Tag Duel!" Chazz retorted.

"What happened to practicing strategy?" Jasmine questioned.

"Screw strategy! There's no way I'm letting this slacker pull one over on me on my own plane! One more Turn and I would've had you, so we're dueling again, period!" Chazz roared. "Also, I'm adding on the condition that you can't use those overpowered Burn Effects! If you do, we've gotta play with at least eight thousand Life Points!"

"Oh?" Konami asked wryly. "What's wrong? Is my Deck too tough for you to handle, Mr. Turn One Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon? Should I give myself a handicap? Maybe I should cut off my Special Summons, oh, or just not use Monster Effects at all! You know what, why don't I start the Duel with just one card as well, to really give myself a challenge!"

"Yes, Yes, and Yes!"

"LIKE HELL!" Konami roared, standing up and slamming his own fists on the table. "You give _yourself_ a handicap! Those Ojamas of yours are out of control! I want any Ojama card in your Deck banished before the Duel even starts! And that includes the ones in your Extra Deck, Chazz!"

"No way! I'm not giving up my ace monsters, even if they're obnoxiously weak!"

"Then why are you saying I should give up _my_ ace monster's effects?!"

"Because its too strong!"

"Just like your Ojama Pajama!"

"I'll have you know Ojama Pajama is perfectly balanced, as all things should be!" Chazz countered.

"You lie! There's nothing balanced about that - that - _abusive archetype!_ "

"You take that back! My Ojamas don't abuse anything!"

"You mean other than my sight?!"

"What'd you just say, slacker?!"

"You heard me loud and clear, Chazz-been!"

"Slacker!"

"Chazz-been!"

 _"Slacker!"_

 _"Chazz-been!"_

Sparks of lightning and fire seemed to manifest between their eyes, and Jasmine and Mindy slowly scooted away from the couch in hopes of escaping the ensuing argument.

They should've just stayed put.

"" _And where the hell do you two think you're going, huh?!""_ the two Duelists asked them, turning to glare at the frightened women.

"Well, uh... You two seemed to be a little busy, so-!"

"But nothing!" Chazz interrupted. "You two need to hurry up and decide which of us is right! Just a reminder, I'm the one paying for your vacation!"

"Which is just so you'll lie to Alexis for him about how nice he's been!" Konami finished, earning a scowl from the boy. "You two don't owe him anything, so don't let promises of fame and fortune divert you from the truth! You can already take all that from him, and more!"

"Uh, well I, um..." Jasmine began to sweat.

"HUH?!" Chazz barked, closing in on her.

"WELL?!" Konami added, barring Mindy in from the other side.

"We just- We think that-!"

 _""STOP STALLING! HURRY UP AND SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!""_

 _"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_ the two girls screamed, and so the flight to Naples continued, in its own strange little way.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - END**_

* * *

 _"I'm never dueling you on an airplane again."_

 _After hours of dueling, arguing, and uncomfortable sleep, the group finally arrive in Naples. From there it was supposed to be sweet sailing to their five-star hotel, but surprise, surprise, their ride is nowhere to be found! Realizing they'll be forced to walk the streets like common tourists, Konami prepares himself for Chazz's endless complaints. Just then, an old friend arrives to bail them out! But...what is SHE doing here?!_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: A Naples Nightmare! The Dark Mark Grows!**_

 _"Your future is as bleak as ever, Kodo-san."_

* * *

 _ **Read & Review!**_


	18. A Naples Nightmare! The Dark Mark Grows!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"Ahahahahaha! At long last, the ultimate monster of the Chazz has descended!"_

 _Summoning the mighty Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, the Chazz unleashes a devastating effect that leaves Jasmine and Mindy completely defenseless! Unable to come up with a counter-strategy, the two girls find themselves overwhelmed and call quits on Duel Monsters for the rest of the flight!_

 _"Fine by me! You losers are so bad you can barely be called a warm-up, anyway!"_

 _Taking their decision in stride, the Chazz quickly comes up with a new plan: Duel Konami under the pretense of learning strategy, and get payback for all the times he'd lost to him back at school! In order to fulfill that goal, Chazz unveils the special characteristic of his playing table, revealing it to be none other than a high-tech Battle Box! Using its power to give form to their monsters, Chazz and Konami duke it out in a blood-pumping Duel!_

 _"I Fusion Summon my Red-Eyes Slash Dragon!" "Then I'll Fusion Summon my Ojama King!"_

 _Using techniques taught to them back at the academy, the pair unleash Fusion after Fusion to try and outdo the other! In the end, however, it is Konami's Archfiend Black Skull Dragon that wins the day, using its incredible burn effect to reduce the Chazz's Life Points to zero. Unable to cope with his defeat, the Chazz demands a rematch, sending the pair into a spiral of Duels that lasts the entire trip. Now, their flight nears its end as the jet prepares to touch down in Naples._

 _Just who will be waiting for them when they disembark? Prepare to find out!_

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**_

* * *

 _ **A NAPLES NIGHTMARE! THE DARK MARK GROWS!**_

* * *

"Ugh..." Chazz panted, scowling at Konami as he laid down his hand. "That... _haa_... That makes the score forty seven to forty three. Let's go again, slacker! I'll definitely close the gap this time, just you wait and see!"

"Oh my God, are you two still dueling? It's been like, fifteen hours already!" Jasmine complained as she strolled into the room.

She and Mindy had been forced into overseeing most of it, but after a several long hours of hearing "Game Over", and "You Go Bye-Bye" repeatedly, she'd decided enough was enough and took off to enjoy a well-deserved beauty sleep. Poor Mindy hadn't been able to escape, forced into serving as an unappreciated tiebreaker whenever one of Chazz and Konami's arguments... _ensued._

She was currently passed out on the recliner in the corner, drooling from the lips and completely ignorant to the world around her. Jasmine sighed at the sight. She really had to teach that girl how to put her foot down, and speaking of putting foots down-

"Alright, that's enough gaming from you two!" she shouted, moving to intervene as Chazz began to shuffle his Deck once more. "Didn't you hear the intercom? We'll be landing any minute now!"

"Wait, what?" Konami asked, "We're landing? Where?"

"Like, Naples, duh? Has all that dueling made your mind turn to mush? Where else would we be landing? The Moon?!"

Konami shook his head, "I'm just surprised is all. This trip didn't really feel all the long, y'know?"

"Maybe to you," Jasmine frowned, "but I could barely sleep thanks to that racket you two were making! Like, really! Do you losers give any consideration to others?"

"Hey!" Chazz shouted, affronted. "I'll have you know that the Princeton Group donates to charity all the time!"

"That's not the kind of consideration I'm talking about, Chazz! I'm talking about the Golden Rule! You know, do unto others? I bet you wouldn't like it if someone kept you awake with a bunch of Duel Monster noises, so why were you two doing it to me?!"

"I dunno. I actually find the noises kind of relaxing," Konami replied. "Then again, I'm the kind of guy who could fall asleep to the sound of people shuffling their Decks, so..."

"Ugh," Jasmine huffed, wrinkling her nose. "Typical Slifer. You've got dueling on the brain!"

"Well, yeah. I am a Duelist!" He chirped. "One who's even better than the Pros, considering the current score, eh Chazz?"

"Shut up, you!" the Princeton glowered. "I've closed the gap pretty well, haven't I?!"

"Yeah, once I let you summon monsters without Tributing!" Konami scoffed, folding his arms. "I wonder what the score would be without the handicap? Sixty to thirty? Eighty to ten?"

"You were using Synchro monsters! It's not fair!"

"Alright, that's enough of that!" Jasmine shouted, "I've heard enough arguing between you two to last a lifetime, so shut it before I make you!"

She stepped forward, perhaps to do just that, but before she had the chance to do anything, the plane dipped. Suddenly diving down from the clouds, the Princeton jet began to lose altitude, causing Jasmine to shriek and stumble forward. Attempting to regain her lost balance, she reached out for something to grab, only for the plane to tilted further downward, sending her flying down toward Chazz's couch.

"Hey-!"

"Oi!"

With a loud crash, she collided with the object, crashing into Chazz with a pained and incredibly loud "oof!". The two twisted their expression into something akin to distress upon finding themselves tangled together, and as they attempted to disengage from their unexpected - and quite frankly, unwanted - union, the beep of the plane's intercom rang out.

 _"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,"_ said the pilot, _"WE HAVE JUST BEEN CLEARED TO LAND AT NAPLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PLEASE REMAIN SEATED AND MAKE SURE YOUR SEAT BELT IS SECURELY FASTENED AS WE MAKE OUR DESCENT. THANK YOU."_

"You're supposed to say that _before_ you actually start the descent, you big jerk!" Jasmine howled at the intercom.

Konami didn't really know why she bothered. It wasn't like the pilot could actually hear her; the room they were in was near the back of the plane, while the pilot, of course, was all the up front, seated behind the jet's yoke and other controls. Sighing at her foolishness as he adjusted his sitting position, he quickly reached down into the couch and grabbed one of the several seatbelt straps hanging off its lush leather sides. He pulled it over himself as Chazz and Jasmine did the same, then snapped it down into the device's metal buckle until he heard a sharp click.

"One of you should probably get Mindy's," Konami pointed out as Chazz and Jasmine continued to fiddle with theirs. "Or at least wake her up so she knows we're about to land."

"Looks like it's all you, Chazz." Jasmine said with a smile, snapping her belt in just as he finally managed to grab his. "I'm already tied down!"

"Mrrgh," Chazz grumbled, throwing his head back over the couch to where Mindy sat, sleeping. "Oi, Hamaguchi! Wake up, we're about to land!"

There was no response. Whether she didn't hear him or was just too far gone, Konami didn't know. Regardless the reason, Mindy continued to snore away happily, dreaming whatever dream she had as a thin line of slobber ran down her face.

"Ugh," Chazz shivered, disgusted by the sight.

Nonetheless, he cautiously rose from his chair to wake the young woman from her sleep. Taking it slow as the plane continued to tremble and shake, Chazz closed the difference between them until finally, he managed to wrap his hands onto the recliner. Using its sides to steady themselves, he gazed directly into Mindy's happily sleeping face.

"Oh, Atticus..." she whispered softly in her sleep, snuggling against the recliner as if it were the former Obelisk, "...you're so sweet!"

Chazz made a face, then - not wanting to hear her drivel or put himself at risk any longer - let loose a devastating roar.

" _OI, HAMAGUCHI! I SAID, 'WAKE UP!'_ "

"But it's a little early for marriage!" Mindy shrieked, jumping up in shock as Chazz's scream jolted her awake. Her rising head plowed into the bottom of Chazz's chin, knocking him backward just as the jet suffered another bout of turbulence. The shudder only served to push Chazz even further off balance, but as he reached out to try and grab something to steady himself, the worst happened:

The plane tilted down, furthering its descent once more!

The tilting motion threw Chazz into the air, and it was with a loud and frightened shout that he hit his back against the ceiling and crashed back down to the floor.

" _Oof!"_

"Oh no, Chazz, are you okay?!" Mindy shouted worriedly, rising out of the recliner to help.

"Mindy, no!" Jasmine warned. "Put your seatbelt on! We're about to land!"

" _H-HUH?!_ "

Another tremor rocked the plane before she could sit back down, and as a result, Mindy also found herself joining Chazz in the chaos.

"Oh, brother..." Konami murmured, reaching into his bag - conveniently seated just beneath him - and pulling out his signature gold Duel Disk.

 _"Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"_ Chazz screamed as he was flung against the side wall.

 _"Noooo! Someone help me!"_ Mindy yelled as well, faring no better.

Despite their screams and Jasmine's obvious worry, the plane continued to fall, descending further and faster as it tried to reach its optimum landing height. If this kept on for much longer, there was no telling what might happen. Chazz and Mindy were already flailing about helplessly. Another few minutes and they might find themselves so bruised that they'd spend all their time in Naples at the hospital, or worse, in a casket! It was unfortunate, but despite what he'd thought about the girls' gossip queen nature, he wasn't willing to risk anyone's life over his acquired ability. For Mindy's sake, as well as that of Chazz's, it seemed like Konami didn't have a choice...

He'd have to act!

"Come forth, Gigaplant!" he roared, placing the card upon his Duel Disk.

A golden light manifested around him, twisting and coiling through the room in the form of thick green tendrils. From their base, a miniature mountain of vegetation and plant life began to rise, stretching upward toward the jet's ceiling and uncurling several sharp mantis-like claws.

"Konami!" Jasmine screamed as she watched a red Venus flytrap-shaped face emerge from the foliage, "Now isn't the time to play more Duel Monsters!"

"On the contrary, it's the perfect time! " he told her, swinging his hand forward. "Because my Gigaplant can stop this chaos! Go now, snatch those idiots from the air, and keep them secure until we land!"

"What?!" Jasmine gawked. "Are you stupid? Even a Slifer like you should know that Solid Vision can't actually-!"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off as Gigaplant's veiny tendrils lashed through the air, reaching out for Chazz and Mindy. With a growl, the monster wrapped its growth around the pair, saving them from another collision and sending chords of shock through the girls' minds.

"W-What?!" Jasmine shrieked, slamming her fists beside her in shock as she instinctively tried to stand. "It's actually able to grab them?!"

" _N-NOOOOOOOO!"_ Mindy screamed in horror, hugging herself tight as Gigaplant held her with one tendril in the air.

Having seen enough cartoons to know what usually happened next, she attempted to protect herself as best she could, but there was really no need. By the time she even thought about trying to pry herself free, Gigaplant had already finished with her, having stuffed her back into the recliner and buckled her seatbelt tight.

Chazz was next, and he was far more amicable to his mean, green savior. Unlike Mindy, his main concern was the fact that now he owed Konami, although if he really wanted to, he could always claim that it was just Red Hat paying back his own debt. He folded his arms angrily as the monster dumped him on the couch.

"That's it, Red Hat! I'm never flying with you, again!"

Before Konami could even begin to utter a retort, the annoying squeals of the Ojamas echoed through the room. In seconds, their Duel Spirits flew from Chazz's scattered Deck, and the man glared at them angrily as they hovered around his face.

 _"Boss, are you okay?!"_ Ojama Yellow asked.

 _"Like, you aren't hurt too bad, are you?!"_ Green inquired.

"Tsk, don't like you care now!" Chazz huffed, batting them aside. "If you were really worried, you would've tried to help instead of waiting until it was safe!"

Ignoring what she thought was Chazz having another mental breakdown, Jasmine snapped her head back to Konami with a glare.

"Alright, Slifer!" she shouted, pointing accusingly at the man. "Spill! Since when have you been able to summon real monsters?! I know for a fact you couldn't pull a stunt like that back at the academy, so what happened?! Did you awaken as one of those freaky Psychic Duelists or something?!"

"Freaky?" Konami replied with a frown. "You have something against Psychic Duelists or something?"

"No, that's not what I-!" Jasmine paused. "Don't try and change the subject! Answer the question! You! Real monsters! Explain!"

"Relax," he said after a moment, removing Gigaplant's card so as to vanish the creature from sight. "They're not real. It's just some fancy tech I got from New Domino. This Duel Disk of mine, it's got some stuff built into it that you won't exactly find on the market."

"Wait, you're saying that all came from your...Duel Disk?" Jasmine asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Hmph!" Chazz grunted, knowing it was a blatant lie.

Mindy, surprisingly, seemed to suspect something as well, given the way her eyes bored into Konami's. He smiled weakly, then held up his hands as if surrendering.

"Yeah! I guess Sector Security had lots of trouble with Psychic Duelists awhile ago so they, uh... they gave me some sweet gear so I could help them out!"

" _Hmmmm?_ "

"Unfortunately, it's all really classified, so I can't go into much more detail, but...whenever I'm playing with this Duel Disk, a twist of a knob is all it takes to turn my Solid Vision into _Real_ Vision."

"That's some really high tech stuff!" Jasmine accused. "And you're saying all of New Domino's private police force has access to it?!"

Konami shrugged.

"What can I say?" he asked, "New Domino pays."

"Tsk, figures." Jasmine huffed, seeming to buy the story as she leaned back and folded the arms. "The rich get all the nice and fancy stuff while everyone else has to fight over scraps! Still, I guess it's pretty neat to be able to summon real monsters. You ever do anything interesting with it?"

Konami thought back to the events that occurred prior to his arrival on the plane. Though horrifying, the thought of his monsters duking it out against Carly's set his blood ablaze. The sight of Dark Valkyria too, now that he thought about it. Watching her tear apart Mina's Slingshot filled him up with adrenaline, although given the circumstances surrounding that, he wrote it off as just his joy of having pulled another one over on Trudge. Pulling himself from his thoughts, he returned to Jasmine's question and shook his head.

"Not really," he said.

Jasmine groaned.

"Of course not!" she huffed, "You slackers are so lame! I bet you could have infinite power fall in your lap and all you'd do is use it to make more sandwiches!"

A loud thump followed her words, accompanied by the furious whirring of the engines as they slowed to a halt. Several more loud thumps echoed through the room, and after one last particularly fierce bump that rocked the group rather violently, the intercom chime rang.

 _"ATTENTION PASSENGERS, WELCOME TO NAPLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE LOCAL TIME IS NINE P.M. AND THE CURRENT TEMPERATURE IS SIXTY FIVE DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. PLEASE BE ADVISED, LOCAL WEATHER IS SUGGESTING A CHANCE FOR LIGHT SHOWERS."_

"Ugh," Jasmine groaned. "First that landing and now this? I _hate_ getting wet!"

 _"FOR YOUR SAFETY, PLEASE REMAIN SEATED UNTIL THE SAFETY SIGN DIMS! THIS WILL INDICATE WE HAVE COME TO A STOP, AND THAT IT IS SAFE FOR YOU TO DEPART. BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR SEAT FOR ANY PERSONAL BELONGINGS YOU MAY HAVE BROUGHT WITH YOU ON BOARD, AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR FLYING AIR PRINCETON! Bzzt!"_

"I'm so firing that guy," Chazz grunted as the plane finally came to a halt. A moment later and a soft chime echoed through the room, and the seatbelt sign that had been lit for the duration of their descent finally dimmed.

They had arrived.

"Finally!" Jasmine gasped, undoing her seatbelt and climbing off the couch. "I need a drink! Where'd you put your brother's wine again, Chazz? What was it called again? The Caerbent Sauvignon?"

"Oh no you don't!" Chazz spat, rising up after her. "There's no way I'm letting you take a sip of that! Jagger's got enough reason to hate me, as is!"

Sighing as the two fell back into their usual antics, Konami shook his head and unbuckled his seatbelt. He leaned back into the cushions of the couch, content with the fact that they'd successfully landed overseas, only to find Mindy's gaze still boring into him.

"Uh, Mindy?" he asked after a moment, suddenly feeling a little exposed. "Are you...doing alright? I didn't throw you into the seat too hard, did I?"

"Your tattoo..." She murmured, pointing toward Konami's arm warily. "It.. _._ It's _glowing_."

"...!"

Indeed. It seemed the summon of his monster had set his Mark ablaze, though unlike his battles against other Dark Signers, this time there was no pain. Only the soft gleam of the Condor illuminated his arm, drawing Mindy's gaze toward it and earning Konami's ire.

 _"Kukukuku..."_ the Shadow chuckled, leaning down on Konami from behind the couch. _"What are you going to do, Konami? This girl...she's onto you...! Fuhahaha!"_

"It's just a trick of the light," Konami lied, obscuring the arm from view and willing it off. Slowly, the hue dimmed, fading entirely as he stretched it out toward Mindy so she could verify for herself. "See?"

"Like, for real?" Mindy wondered, gazing at it closely. "But I could've sworn-"

"You were probably just seeing things. You did have a few bumps during that fall." He interrupted.

"Yeah..." Mindy agreed after a moment, but Konami could tell that she was still suspicious.

He'd have to be careful around her from now on, lest he give something else away.

"Alright losers!" Chazz barked, snapping the pair from their tense stare-off. "Grab your stuff so we can go! The Chazz has stuff to do, and sitting in this tin can longer than he has to is not one of them!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Konami sighed, climbing off the couch and slinging his bag over his shoulder. He did a quick once over and made sure he had all of his things. Once he was certain, he turned back to Chazz, "Lead the way, your majesty. The kingdom of Naples awaits!"

It was with a soft sigh that Mindy also rose from her chair, and together with Jasmine, they made their way to the plane's exit, ready to experience Naples, at last.

 _ **-TF2-**_

Barely five steps out the arrival gate, and Konami already knew Naples was going to be a nightmare.

" _Whaddaya mean, there's no reservation?! Don't you know who you're talking to? I'm Chazz Princeton!"_

"Yes, Mister Princeton!" the taxi receptionist, a brown-haired woman in a red tie and black suit, said with a sigh. "I understand that, but there's nothing I can do! We simply don't have any of our limos reserved under that name. If you like, I can direct you to the taxi pick-up line, where you'll be able to-"

"Taxi?" Chazz hissed, as if insulted by the term.

He probably was.

" _No_ , I don't want a taxi. I want a limo! I paid good money to get one, and I- _ugh_ , you know what? Forget it! Clearly, I'm getting nowhere with you!"

"If you want to go nowhere, there is a club downtown that shares the name. One of our esteemed taxi drivers will be more than happy to ferry you there, provided you pay a decent-sized tip. Fortunately, I'll be unable to join you, as I'll be stuck here, working till morning."

" _A Club?_ No, you idiot! That's not what I- I didn't mean-!"

"Really, Chazz?" Jasmine asked dryly, folding her arms as she joined the conversation. "We've only just arrived and you're already hitting on the locals? What would Alexis think?"

"Shut up!" Chazz complained, stomping his foot in protest. "That's not what I'm doing! This _lady_ just said that there's no limos reserved under the name Princeton, which is crazy, because I know for a fact that I scheduled one!"

"Uh huh, and was this before or _after_ you asked her to go clubbing with you?" Jasmine inquired.

"For the last time, I wasn't asking her to-!"

"What's going on?" Konami interrupted, joining the pair. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh nothing new," answered Jasmine. "Chazz just screwed the pooch, like usual."

"I didn't screw anything! This lady's got it all wrong! I know I scheduled us to get picked up! I know I did!"

"Yeah, yeah, stand aside loverboy. Let me handle this," Jasmine said, shooing him.

Taking charge, Jasmine laid a hand on the counter and leered down at the receptionist. The woman stared back with dead, soulless eyes.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Uh," Jasmine suddenly paused, "Give me a minute."

Turning away from the counter, she quickly leaned down into her purse and extracted a small green book. Konami glanced at the title and blinked.

"Italian Pocket Dictionary?" he inquired, earning a scowl from the woman.

"Well, one of us needs to know how to find the best clothing stores!" she scoffed, before flipping the book open and returning to the counter.

"Alright," she said as she did, attempting to charm the woman with a smile. "Let's try this again, shall we? Ahem, _Buongiorno_!"

 _"Salve!"_ the receptionist greeted.

"Oh, no! I think I screwed up!" Jasmine hissed, slapping her head. "It's not Good Morning! It's Good Evening, no, Good Night! Er, _Buonasera? Buonanotte? Ugh, Sono... erm, Sono-_ "

 _"-CHI NO SADAME?!"_ the receptionist asked enthusiastically, leaning forward with wide eyes.

"NO!" Jasmine gagged, "I hate that show!"

The receptionist gasped. " _Puttana!_ "

"See?" Chazz complained, "You can't get through to her either!"

"Shut up, Chazz! Isn't this your fault anyway? I thought you were supposed to have someone ready to pick us up?!"

"I _did_ , it's not my fault their system's all bugged!"

"How do we know it's their fault, and that you just didn't put it in properly, huh?!"

"Because I'm a Princeton, I don't make mistakes like that, duh!"

Again, the two began to fall back into their old routine, arguing like an old married couple. It certainly didn't help that they were actually in public this time, no doubt showing all of Naples just how foolish this particular group of tourists was.

Konami sighed at the sight.

Not out of any embarrassment he felt upon being associated with the pair, but rather, because he'd been expecting it. Of course their ride was nowhere to be found. Why would it be, when recently, it seemed like something always had to go wrong whenever he was involved?

 _"Kukuku...feeling the pressure yet? You know, soon, it'll get even worse."_ The Shadow promised, _"Not just for you, but for those you care about, as well. I wonder... How is dear Wisteria doing? You don't think she's fallen down any steps while you've been gone, do you?"_

Scoffing at the monster's taunt, Konami turned on his heel and strode away from the arguing pair. It was obvious that they weren't going to get very far in their current predicament, so until Chazz gathered what brain cells he had left and called his agent to figure things out, Konami decided that he'd pass the time by making a few calls of his own.

He pulled out his PDA, brought up its contact list, then began dialing one of the numbers. As the ringback tones echoed through his ear, he cast his gaze over to Mindy, who was casually flipping through a brochure while seated upon once of the airport's many waiting benches.

Briefly, he hoped she still wasn't too suspicious of his Mark.

It wasn't that he didn't trust the girl, but she and Jasmine weren't exactly the secretive type. He had no doubt that anything they found out would find its way to a gossip column not much later, and if word somehow got out about the Dark Signers, well...he and Carly had enough on their plate without having to deal with the press too.

The sound of someone answering the phone broke Konami from his thoughts, and he turned away from Mindy just in time to hear a familiar voice rattle into his ear.

 _"Konami? I'm surprised you called."_ Yusei said, as collected as always despite everything that had occurred.

"I figured I should, especially given everything that's happened." He replied, "Is Carly still doing okay?"

 _"She's fine,"_ Yusei confirmed. _"Jack hasn't let her out of his sight after what happened. But that's not important right now. Leo and Luna told me some of what you're up to. They said you had to get out of town for a while?"_

Konami exhaled softly. He should've known the twins would snitch.

"Don't worry, I'm not running away." He promised.

 _"I didn't think you were,"_ Yusei replied. _"I'm just a little worried is all. We all are."_

He could imagine. Akiza probably had a fit when she found out, and as for Crow... Well, who knew what was going on in that birdbrain's head? The twins had already made it clear how they felt about the whole situation, which left...

"Jack too?"

 _"He might have a strange way of showing it, but yeah. Even Jack. Although, you might want to brace yourself the next time you see him. He might try and slug you for all the stress you've caused."_

"Heh, I wouldn't put it past him." Konami chuckled. "And I'd probably deserve it. I messed up. I hate to say it, but...you guys were right. I had no idea what I was dealing with, and now...well, I don't want to go into details over the phone, but...things have definitely gotten a lot worse for me."

 _"Have you still been hallucinating?"_ Yusei asked.

Konami stilled. Of course the twins would have told him about that, too. They always did know how to stir up trouble, the little brats.

 _"You should punish them,"_ the Shadow whispered in his open ear. _"Drag them down into the shadows as punishment for their betrayal!"_

"A little," Konami said honestly, sensing no need to hide it. "I still hear and see things from time to time, but...nothing as vivid as last time."

 _"I see. In that case, do you want to talk to Carly? There's no better expert than someone who went through the same thing as you, right?"_

"Yeah, you're right, but... I don't want to overstep my bounds. I mean, does Carly- does she even want to talk to me?"

He didn't think she would. After everything that had happened, he wouldn't be surprised if the last thing she wanted was to hear his voice again; much less converse with it. She'd gone through so much in such a short period of time, and now, because of his own recklessness, the floodgates had been opened. Her darkness was back, and there was nothing he could do to fix it-

 _"Hello,_ partner _."_ The cold, callous voice of the Dark Signer whispered through the phone.

Konami froze.

"C-Carly?" He asked, eyes widening upon registering her sinister tone.

 _"Who else would it be?"_ she asked, _"Mina? Hah! I think we both know she's done with you for awhile. Nice job with the bike, by the way. Some top quality work, if I do say so myself."_

"You...You know about that?!"

 _"Of course I do, because we're connected, you and I. Like two peas in a pod, we've poured ourselves into the abyss, and let it pour a little something back. There's no denying it any further. I can feel your guilt, smell the burn on your arm. You're awakening,_ partner _, and soon, there'll be nothing you can do to stop it."_

Konami winced, and shut his eyes to drown out her words. This tone she was using...the venom that dripped from her voice...there was no way it was real. He had already overcome Aslla Piscu, its hold on her should have already been broken, so why...?

"Carly," he muttered softly, gripping his PDA tight. "Tell me something. Is this...is this another hallucination?"

 _"I don't know,"_ she replied, her cold, haunting arms suddenly draping down his neck from behind. _"You tell me!"_

Konami gasped, nearly dropping his PDA as he turned on his heel to confront the dark witch-!

But no one was there.

Just Jasmine and Chazz, still arguing at the counter as the receptionist and the other arrivals watched on, intrigued. Slowly, Konami brought the PDA back to his ear.

"Are...are you still there?" Konami asked warily.

 _"Yeah, I'm here."_ Yusei replied, _"But you never answered my question."_

"Question?"

 _"About whether or not you wanted to talk to Carly."_

Konami's eyes widened, and the haunting chuckle of the Shadow drifted around him from behind.

 _"I can feel you slipping...! Inch by inch, my power over you continues to grow..."_

 _"Konami?"_ Yusei asked, bringing Konami back from the brink. _"You there?"_

"Ah, no. I don't-I don't think that'd be a good idea right now." He said, shaking his head. "But uh, you say she's doing alright? That she's, well... _normal?_ "

There was silence.

"Yusei?" Konami repeated.

 _"Sorry,"_ the man's reply came fast and strong. _"Had a loose bolt on my Duel Runner. But to answer your question, yeah, Carly's doing fine. Like I said, Jack hasn't let her out of his sight since your Duel. If something was going on, we'd know about it."_

"Good, that's-that's good."

 _"Are you sure you don't want any help? You sound a little stressed."_

"No, I'm...I'm just a little tired, I guess. It was a long flight and, well...the friend I came with isn't exactly known for keeping a level head."

 _"Friend?"_

"From school, yeah." Konami said, "No one you'd know. Keeps kind of low on the radar, despite being loud as can be. Although, if you're up to date on the news in New Domino then I'm sure the name would ring a bell."

 _"Oh?"_

"Chazz Princeton," Konami explained.

 _"The guy whose jacket Carly ruined?"_

"Oh, so you've heard of him."

 _"How could I not? Jack wouldn't stop yelling about it once it hit the news. Said he'd duel the guy for dunking Carly into the punch bowl like that."_

"Heh, well, I'll be sure to pass his challenge along. Who knows? If I distract him with Chazz, maybe he'll forget about how pissed off he is with me!"

 _"Maybe,"_ Yusei agreed.

The two shared a soft chuckle at Chazz's expense, before slowing falling back into an awkward silence.

"Alright, well, I better let you go." Konami said at last, "I've got another call to make, and...I'm not sure how much more time I'll have to do it."

 _"Alright,"_ Yusei allowed. " _Just keep in mind that it's actually Four in the morning over here. You got lucky with me, but I'm not too sure anyone else would be keen on chatting with you this early."_

"Ah, right!" Konami winced and snapped his fingers, having just remembered. "Time differences...I'm like, seven hours behind you guys right now."

 _"Here's hoping you prepared for the sleeping problems."_

"No worries there. My entire flight was spent dueling. I'll have no problem crashing on a bed..." Konami paused to glance back over to where Chazz and Jasmine were still arguing, "...assuming I get the chance to even see one. Anyway, I'll talk to you later, Yusei. Gotta go!"

 _"Stay safe."_ The Signer replied, and with a click, Konami ended the call.

The moment he saw the screen transition back to his Contacts, he let out a long sigh.

 _'Stay safe?'_ he thought. _'I wish I could.'_

 _"No you don't,"_ the Shadow whispered. _"Destruction is in your blood. You might hide it behind a shady facade, but we both know that you enjoy the torment. Well, rejoice, Konami! For until you finally give in and accept what you are, there will be no escape from the torture I'll bring you!'_

A crack momentarily appeared in Konami's vision as images of his recent battles with Carly and Mina flooded his brain. The force of the recall nearly felled him to one knee, but he steadied himself on a wall at the last moment and shook his head.

 _"Your Destiny has already been decided. The less you resist, the less it will hurt."_

Konami shook his head again, attempting to ignore the voice. Slowly, the images began to fade, returning to the depths of his mind where he sealed them behind a lock and key. Recovering from his brief episode, he steadied himself and glanced back down to his PDA.

The image of his Contacts List stared back at him, highlighting the name Fudo, Yusei. Beneath it sat one other name of interest, the one other person in the city who'd be ready and willing to speak with him so early in the morning: Fujiwara, Wisteria.

Konami tapped down to highlight the name, then immediately pressed the dial button. Her familiar ringtone dialed into his ear as he awaited her response, and within a moment's notice, he got what he was waiting for; if not in the way he'd expected.

 _"Hideo, I swear to God, if you ask me to team up with you one more time, I will freaking_ murder _you!"_

"Uh, okay?" Konami asked. "Not exactly the nicest greeting in the world, but I'll take it."

 _"Oh, Kokkun?!"_ the girl gasped. _"I'm so sorry, I thought it was someone else-!"_

"Relax, it's fine," He replied. "Although now you've got me curious. What? Did another businessman try to pull one over on you?"

 _"No, no. Nothing like that,"_ Wisteria sighed. _"Just a little family drama, that's all. Father wants us to do a bigger promotion and well, I'm not exactly thrilled. But what about you? From your call, I'm guessing you and Chazz made it to Naples okay?"_

"Yeah, along with a pair of unwelcome surprises," Konami scoffed. "Did you know he's been hanging out with Jasmine and Mindy?"

 _"Ugh, those two? I remember them being all about hot guys and what-not back in school. What?"_ Wisteria asked, _"Did he finally drop that crush he had on Alexis?"_

"Nah, it's the opposite! Only reason he invited them along was to try and score brownie points with her. He seems to be under the impression that paying for their vacation will lead to him getting together with Alexis, somehow."

 _"Oh dear, they're going to drain that poor boy dry."_

"That's assuming they haven't already. He's already been conned out of at least twenty five thousand."

 _"Depii?"_ Wisteria inquired. _"That's not all that bad, just a good couple Duels or so-"_

"No," Konami corrected. "American dollars."

 _"WHAT?!"_

"I know, right? It's insane!"

 _"No, Konami! Insane is two or three thousand dollars. This is just plain stupidity!"_

"Well, you know Chazz. When he goes, he goes big."

 _"Just what, exactly, does he think he's getting out of this? I mean, are Jasmine and Mindy even that close with Alexis anymore? I mean, I know there's still the group chat and all, but-"_

"That's what I tried to say, but he wasn't hearing any of it." Konami explained. "Those girls already have him wrapped around their little fingers, and he won't be getting away anytime soon."

 _"Hmph! Well, you just make sure that you're not the one getting wrapped up! I have enough competition here in the city without having to worry about those two gossip queens joining in too!"_

"In the city?" Konami asked incredulously. "What are you talking about? On a better note, _who_?"

 _"Never you mind,"_ Wisteria hissed. _"Just keep being the oblivious fool who's wrapped around_ my _little finger, okay?"_

"Wait, what?"

 _"Precisely."_

Konami blinked. Was she hiding something from him? It certainly seemed like it, although given the context-

"Okay," he sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Anyway, I was just calling to let you know we made it in okay, although it looks like someone - _not naming names_ \- might have butchered the whole, "Point One to Point Two" part of the process."

 _"Oh God,"_ Wisteria groaned. _"What did he do?"_

"Seems like our limo - which was supposed to drive us from the airport to the hotel - is suddenly... _nonexistent._ "

"Oh no. _Did he get into a fight with the receptionist about it?"_

"Yep."

 _"And I'm guessing he doesn't want to just grab any ol' Taxi like a normal person?"_

"You know Chazz, always the troublemaker."

Wisteria sighed into the phone.

 _"Of course,"_ she murmured, and Konami could almost see her shaking her head. _"Well, I hope everything gets figured out. Do you need me to do anything for you? I'm not sure if we have anyone in Naples, but I could always make a few calls, see if I could make some arrangements-"_

"No, no. I think we'll be fine," Konami assured, watching as Chazz and Jasmine shook hands with a well-dressed blonde. "...And it looks like he might've just figured something out, anyway."

 _"Oh, really!"_ Wisteria questioned. _"Well, if you're sure..."_

"I am." Konami confirmed, "Thanks for the offer, but it's probably best we let Chazz fix his own problems."

 _"Perhaps. Then, I suppose this is goodbye for now?"_

"Yeah. I'll give you another call later once everything's settled down," he nodded. "I know it's pretty early over there right now, sorry if I woke you up."

 _"Don't apologize. You just wanted me to know you were safe, right? Besides, you know I love talking to you, and I love you, too!"_

"Yeah..." He nodded, knowing as much.

There was a soft clicking noise on the other end of the line, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

 _"Anyway, I'll let Enzo know you called. Take care of yourself!"_

"Yeah, you too."

And with that, Konami hit disconnect, ending the call.

Sighing, he slid the PDA back into his pocket, then turned to stare at the conversing Jasmine and Chazz. The blonde boy they'd been with was gone, as was the luggage the two had carried off the jet. Surprised, and a little suspicious, he quickly approached the pair to hear what they've done.

"Where'd that other guy go?" He asked as he approached.

"Heh, he went to go grab his cab." Chazz answered with a smirk. "Said he'd give us a ride dirt cheap too!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep. He was really nice about it, too!" Jasmine nodded. "Even offered to load our luggage up while we waited here. Something about not wanting a nice young lady like me to get wet!"

"Is that so?"

"Blondie even recognized me," Chazz explained. "Told me how good I looked during my duel with Truesdale at the Rising Stars Cup a few years back!"

"You mean the one you lost?" Konami inquired.

"No!" Chazz complained, folding his arms. "The one I won, obviously!"

"But you didn't beat Syrus at Rising Stars," Konami pointed out, "Actually, now that I think about it, didn't you lose pretty spectacularly?"

"Yeah, I remember!" Jasmine agreed with a smile. "Syrus had hit you with his Jetroid or something and sent you flying into one of those mound of dirt dug up from all the construction!"

"Urk...!" Chazz winced, "What'd you just say?!"

"You say this blonde said you looked good back then, too?" Konami chuckled. "Covered in dirt, digging around in the mud... Guess he was really trying to say it was nice seeing a privileged guy like you crawling around on his knees for once."

"You mean it was an insult!?" Chazz roared. "That's it, where is this guy?! I wanna give him a piece of my mind!"

"Actually, now that you mention it, he is kind of taking a while," Jasmine admitted, glancing around for any sight of the blonde. "Wasn't cab parking supposed to be right around the corner?"

"Tsk! Loser probably got caught up in all the traffic," Chazz suggested. "Oh well, not my problem. Any time delays on his part are just gonna have to come outta his tip!"

"Uh, hate to point it out, but it's not exactly the busiest time right now..." Konami said, gesturing to the empty airport streets. "What'd this guy tell you again?"

"Huh?" asked Jasmine. "What do you mean?"

"Like, specifically. What kind of deal did this guy offer you?"

"Heh, interested to hear about our once-in-a-lifetime chance, huh? Fine by me! Turns out the guy had been listening in during our conversation with that worthless receptionist. Since she screwed up our limo reservation, she wanted us to get in line and wait for a _regular_ taxi like all the _plebs_ over there!" Chazz explained, pointing over his shoulder to where a long line of people stood, waiting to be picked up. "Jasmine here started raising a fuss-"

"-I did not!" Jasmine stamped.

"-which is when blondie came over with that sweet offer of his."

"Three hundred Euro for an instant ride into town!" Jasmine cheered, sparkles in her eyes.

"Obviously, three hundred is nothing to the Chazz, so I figured, why not?"

"And then he took your luggage...and walked off to 'get his cab?'" Konami asked with a sigh.

"Yeah! He said he'd be back any moment, and that we should just wait here so he knows where to park-!" Jasmine began.

"Right, right... So, you realize you two are idiots, right?" Konami asked, thanking Slifer, Horahkthy, and perhaps even E'Rah herself that he hadn't given them his things. "Not only is three hundred euro more than double the average fare, but you just gave a complete stranger your stuff and told him it was alright to walk off with it without any guarantee that he'd come back."

"Huh?" Chazz glowered, "What're you tryin' to say?"

"That you and Jasmine are fools," Konami explained. "I mean, a quick ride into town? He'll even load your luggage for you? God I knew you were privileged, but stop and think for a moment, would ya?!"

"H-Hey now, there's no need to be upset!" Jasmine shouted back. "I'm sure the guy's just taking a while! He'll be back in no time, you'll see!"

"Oh really?" Konami inquired, pointing behind her to the other side of the road. "Then who's that?"

Jasmine turned just in time to spot the same young blonde take a case of luggage from another fancy-looking tourist. As her eyes fell upon him, he noticed them, and suddenly stilled.

"Uh, what is he doing?" Jasmine asked. "I thought he said we wouldn't have to worry about sharing a cab with another group?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you," Konami glowered, jabbing his finger toward the tensing blonde. " _HE SCAMMED YOU!_ "

The words echoed through the lot, and everyone stilled. For a moment, it went so quiet that one could hear a pen drop. Then, the blonde _moved_.

Tightening his grip on his latest victim's luggage, he turned on his heel and began sprinting down the sidewalk, away from Konami, Jasmine, and Chazz.

"H-Hey!" Chazz shouted, taking a step toward the blonde in shock. "Hold on, where do you think you're going?!"

"You'd better go after him," Konami said. "He's getting away."

" _T-THIEF!_ " Jasmine roared, eyes widening as she watched the blonde flee. "Wait, come back here!"

As the two finally came to understand what had happened, they leapt into motion, chasing after the boy in hopes of reclaiming their stolen luggage. Konami watched as they vanished into the distance, then shook his head softly in disbelief.

"My god," he murmured, sighing into his hand as he did. "And here I thought _I_ was gonna be the troublemaker..."

"Did something happen?" Mindy asked, suddenly deciding to join him. "Chazz and Jasmine looked pretty upset."

"Well, they should." He said, "They just got robbed."

"H-Huh?! Robbed?!"

"Yeah," he repeated. "They're trying to chase the guy down now. You didn't give either of them any of your luggage, did you?"

"No, I've got all my stuff," Mindy claimed, gesturing down to the suitcase she'd been rolling behind her. "But all of our shopping money was in Jasmine's bag!"

Konami stilled, "What?"

Mindy nodded, "Yeah. Everything Chazz gave us was American money, so Jasmine was going to swap it over when she got the chance!"

Konami groaned. "And she thought giving what's essentially a thirty thousand dollar suitcase to a stranger would be acceptable, why?"

"Oh, don't be that way! It's not like she knew the guy would rob her. You can't go around thinking everyone's out to get you, it'd be no fun!"

"Hmph, I suppose you're right." He muttered, "Still doesn't make what happened any less vexing, though."

"Then, why aren't you trying to help them? Isn't something like this exactly what that _Duel Disk_ of yours was made for? I'm sure if you used it, you'd catch that guy no problem!"

"And miss out on giving those two a chance to learn from their mistakes?" Konami asked, "No way. Besides, I can't just go using Real Vision whenever. It's something that's supposed to be reserved for more... _important_...matters."

"There's something more important than getting back your friends' forty thousand dollars?" Mindy inquired.

"You'd be surprised."

" _Hmmmmm?_ " Mindy mused, leaning forward to study Konami carefully. "Well, if you say so..."

"You don't believe me?"

"When you say it's your Duel Disk that's responsible for summoning real monsters?" Mindy clarified, "Not one bit. I know have insiders at Sector Security, and not one of them has ever mentioned tech like that! Besides, you might have tried to hide it, but we both know that glow your tattoo was making was a little more than a trick of the light! You're hiding something, I'm just not sure what."

The Shadow's presence returned, laughing at him tauntingly.

"And what if I am?" Konami asked tensely. "What are you going to do about it?"

Mindy studied him for a moment, then let her arms go slack.

"Nothing," she decided. "Your business is your own. I'm not exactly sure why you'd hide having super cool psychic powers or whatever that was, but I'm not so inconsiderate that I'd go prying where I'm not wanted. At least, assuming this secret doesn't put Jasmine in danger."

"It shouldn't," Konami told her honestly. "Chazz knows all about it, and it's part of why I agreed to help him out over here."

"Yeah, he did tell us that much," Mindy nodded, folding her arms. "Said you're giving him some help here in exchange for a flight to Nazca later. We thought it was just so you could go on a vacation of your own, but like, I'm guessing that's not the case."

"Not quite," Konami said wryly.

"Well, whatever. I'll keep quiet about your silly lie for now," Mindy murmured. "I love her, but...I know Jasmine can get a bit creeped out by anything even slightly supernatural. Like, honestly, ever since that weird dueling monkey back at the academy, she's just been _done_ with anything weird or unnatural!"

"Yeah...I can imagine."

"Can you though? _Can you?!_ " Mindy inquired, "Imagine, chilling out with your crew in the school yard, only to suddenly find yourself swept up into the arms of some big strong man! You look up, trying to see who finally decided to make their move, only to find..."

" _A BIG HAIRY MONKEY!_ " Mindy screamed.

"Oh, come on. Wheeler wasn't that bad, was he?"

"Humph! Speak for yourself, that thing gave Jasmine and I nightmare for weeks! A dueling monkey...what's next? A dueling dog?!"

"What are you two talking about over there?" the voice of Jasmine asked.

Konami and Mindy glanced toward the sound, finding Chazz and Jasmine strolling back toward them with their stolen luggage.

"Oh, so everything worked out after all, huh?" Konami asked.

"Yeah, no thanks to you!" Chazz barked, glowering at the man.

"After we cornered that blonde thief, he decided that we just worth the effort!" Jasmine huffed. "Took us right to where he stashed our stuff."

"And you did check to make sure it was all there, right?"

"Like, obviously!" Jasmine drawled. "What do you take me for, some kind of idiot?!"

"Well, you were the one to give him the luggage in the first place, so..."

"Forget the luggage," Mindy complained, shoving past Konami as she ran over to the approaching Jasmine. "What about the blondie? Was he cute?"

"Oh yeah, super cute! It's the only reason I didn't punch his face in for stealing our stuff!" Jasmine confirmed.

"Tsk, should've done it anyway!" Chazz spat. "Give him something more than a Tournament Match to remember me by, feh!"

"Well, I'm glad everything worked out." Konami told them.

"Yeah, but now what?" Jasmine complained. "It's raining out, and we're still down a ride!"

"Are you sure you just don't want to grab a normal cab?" Mindy asked. "The line's not too long, we can just wait, it's no big deal!"

"It is to me!" Chazz complained. "I'm a Princeton, and a Princeton deserves the best!"

"That's not what you were saying when you offered up your luggage..." Jasmine muttered, although she knew she really wasn't in a position to talk.

"Hmph, that screw-up only made me realize the true value of my principles! No self-respecting limo driver would be caught _dead_ stealing a passenger's luggage!"

"Too bad there's no self-respecting limo driver around," Konami drawled. "Face it, Chazz. You're gonna have to suck it up and ride commercial. Unless, anyone here's got any brighter ideas?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Didn't think so," he continued, casting his gaze back to Chazz. "Do you at least know where we'll be staying."

"Obviously," Chazz growled. "It's the Renaissance Naples Hotel Mediterraneo. It's like a seventeen minute drive from here."

"Hm, you might wanna call them and make sure they actually have our reservation down," Jasmine suggested. "The last thing we want is to get there and find out our rooms weren't booked, either!"

"Calm down, I already did that much when we got off the plane!" Chazz sniffed. "They're expecting us! We got one Suite and two Sea View Rooms."

"Three? But there's four people here!" Mindy complained.

"You and Mindy are sharing a room, duh!"

"Wait, what?!" Jasmine shrieked, "So you mean you and slacker get rooms all to yourselves, but we have to share, huh?!"

"What? I thought you two liked spending time together? You can paint your nails, try on clothes, and talk about cute boys like tall, blonde...and _thieving_ over there!" Chazz snapped, pointing back to the blonde who was once again conning someone out of their luggage.

"H-Hey!" Jasmine shouted at the boy, leading everyone over toward him. "Haven't you learned your lesson already?!"

Frowning, the blonde turned to face the approaching group.

"Tsk," he muttered, "Sorry Scud, but this isn't worth all the trouble."

He made to run off again, leaving Jasmine and Chazz to glower at the sight.

"Tsk, what a jerk!" Jasmine huffed, "It hadn't even been five minutes since we caught him and told him off!"

"There's just no helping some people," Chazz agreed.

Mindy glanced to the blonde's would-be victim, "Are you like, okay? You didn't give that guy any of your luggage, did you?"

"Oh my, that man was a thief?"

"Like, obviously!" Jasmine huffed, looking proud of herself. "You didn't notice? Didn't he try and con you into a cab ride?"

"Oh, is that what that was? I had thought it was a little suspicious how persistent he was being, but I had already procured transportation." The woman gestured over to the street, where a sleek black limo sat waiting. "That limo over there, it's mine, you see."

"Tsk, of course _she_ has one." Chazz grunted.

"You don't?" The woman asked, blinking in confusion. "I'm surprised. I would have thought that you of all people would have secured such means of travel, Princeton-san."

Chazz's eyes widened, and he stared at the woman curiously.

"So you know who I am, huh? Finally, some proper recognition."

"Well, I would certainly hope so! We are going to be working together tomorrow."

At this, Jasmine and Mindy's eyes also widened in surprise, and they snapped their head to the woman frantically.

"Who are you?" Chazz questioned. "You part of the press or something?"

"You really don't recognize me?" the woman asked. "I suppose it doesn't come as that much of a surprise. Until today, we've never really met face-to-face."

She placed her hands on the lower part of her dress, and she bent her knees ever so slightly while bowing her head.

"My name is Misty Tredwell," she curtsied, "it's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

"N-N-N-No way!" Mindy stuttered, raising a trembling finger toward the supermodel. "Misty Tredwell? _The_ Misty Tredwell?! You're one of the greatest fashion models out there right now!"

"I'm a huge fan!" Jasmine agreed, clasping her hands together with starry eyes. "Can I get a picture, no- _two_? The girls back at work will never believe me otherwise!"

Misty giggled softly, smiling politely at their words.

"You two are far too kind," she said. "Are they friends of yours, Princeton-san?"

"Hmph, something like that." Chazz grunted, "Allow me to introduce Jasmine Makurada and Mindy Hamaguchi. They're here on vacation."

"I see," Misty said with a smile. "It seems you picked an unfortunate time to visit. The rain makes for a poor touring companion, I'm afraid."

"Ugh, tell me about it." Jasmine scoffed, "And our landing didn't help much, either!"

"It was like, a total nightmare!" agreed Mindy. "Chazz and I were flying all over the place, and if the slacker didn't help by grabbing us with that monster of his, we would've been turned into pattycakes!"

"Slacker?" Misty inquired, not familiar with the nickname.

"The fourth member of our little group," Chazz glowered, turning on his heel. "Not sure why he's not talking. Hey, Konami! Come over here and say- _huh?_ "

Chazz paused, for as he turned to regard his travel companion, he found that Konami _had_ already joined them. He'd been there since the beginning, boring his dark and deadly eyes into the face of the supermodel.

"Uh, the hell's wrong with you?" Chazz inquired.

His words seemed to snap Konami from whatever daze he was in, prompting him to shake his head and cast his gaze toward the ground.

"I just...can't seem to catch a break, huh?" he whispered with a frown.

Misty smiled at his words, stepping past his companions to regard him closely.

"Indeed. It seems fate has quite a funny way of bringing people together," she agreed, meeting Konami's rising gaze with her own. "Your face looks just as interesting as the first time I gaze upon it, and your future...just as bleak. Nonetheless, it truly is wonderful to see you again, Kodo-san."

"Misty..." Konami sighed, closing his eyes and setting a hand on his hip. "I truly wish I could say the same.

"Eh?" Jasmine muttered.

"Huh?" Mindy breathed.

There was a prolonged moment of silence, and then-

 _"YOU TWO KNOW EACH OTHER?!"_

-the endless questions began.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - END**_

* * *

 _"Many choices lie before you, Kodo-san."_

 _Face-to-face with a person from his past, Konami clams up, fearing a repeat of New Domino's destruction. In light of this, Chazz and Misty steer the conversation toward what's expected of them in tomorrow's Duel, but a sudden surprise spurs Konami back to life. Faced with the reality of the situation, just what of sort of Duel will he bring?_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: XYZ vs Xyz! The Show Named ZEXAL!**_

 _"It's time to High-Five the Sky..."_

* * *

 _ **Read & Review!**_


	19. XYZ VS Xyz! The Show Named ZEXAL!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"Come forth, Gigaplant!"_

 _To save Chazz and Mindy from a disastrous landing, Konami unleashes his unholy power to give life to a monster housed within his Deck. Using it to secure the two until the jet had landed safely, he finds himself confronted by Jasmine and Mindy. Though he manages to fool them into believing his Dark Signer power was nothing more than state-of-the-art tech, Mindy's gaze betrays her suspicion. Confronting him after disembarking, she learns some of Konami's dark truth, but lacks the details to make the picture whole. Fortunately, other matters leave her incapable of seeking out further answers._

 _"Whaddaya mean, 'there's no reservation?!'"_

 _Having failed in procuring a means of transportation, Chazz and Jasmine sought out alternatives only to find themselves robbed by a well-dressed blonde. Though they eventually manage to hunt the boy down to reclaim their luggage, the fact that they still lack transportation casts a dark shadow over the group. Just then, a figure from Konami's past catches their eye._

 _"It truly is wonderful to see you again, Kodo-san."_

 _It's Misty Tredwell, the supermodel who once served as the Dark Signer of the Lizard. Having flown in to Naples to participate in the same event that summoned Chazz, she invites the group to ride with her to the Renaissance Hotel. Will her reunion with Konami be one of happiness, or will their dark powers bring about another tragedy? Prepare to find out!_

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER NINETEEN**_

* * *

 _ **XYZ VS Xyz! The Show Named ZEXAL!**_

* * *

"Like, I still can't believe you two know each other!" Mindy breathed, seated between the pair as they rode in the back of a sleek black limo. "How did you two meet? Was it at some big fashion event? Did he win some big lottery event with a prize of meeting a real-life celebrity?!"

"Nothing so grandiose, I'm afraid." Misty answered with a smile.

"Yeah," Konami agreed, chin resting in the palm of his hand as he stared out the window. "We just happened to pass each other in the hallway. She thought I had an interesting face, then proceeded to hit me with some high-level fortunetelling that left me dazed and confused."

Misty giggled at the memory.

"Yes, I suppose it must have seemed rather strange to you at the time. I do remember being rather shocked by your features... Did I come on too strong?"

"It was fine," Konami answered with a sigh. "If I had a problem with it, I would've said something. Really, I was just more surprised than anything."

"You took the words right outta my mouth," claimed Jasmine, leaning forward in her seat across from them. "What's so shocking about this guy's looks? I mean, he might not be a ten outta ten, but he's not that horrendous for you to look at, is he?"

"Oi!" Konami growled, snapping as she pointed her finger at him teasingly.

Misty shook her head.

"On the contrary," she explained, "I was surprised because at a glance, he looked remarkably similar to my younger brother."

"Younger brother?" Mindy inquired, tilting her head. "I didn't know you had one!"

"There aren't many people that do," Misty revealed, her smile taking on a softer, more forlorn look.

"Do you have a picture?" Jasmine asked, eager to see just what the brother of a supermodel looked like.

"Yes, I do." Misty replied, unclipping the purse seated in her lap and retrieving a small photo of the boy. She held it out gently for the girls to see, earning a pair of smiles and gasps for her efforts.

"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said they look alike!" Mindy chirped, glancing between the photo and Konami. "Besides the whole hair thing he's got goin' on, your brother's a dead ringer for our resident Red Hat!"

Despite herself, Misty found herself flinching at the words.

"Nah," Jasmine corrected, comparing the two boys. "This guy's way cuter than the slacker over here! What's his name? And how come you never talk about him?"

"His name was Toby," Misty explained softly. "And the reason I don't talk about him is because, well...he passed away some time ago."

Konami frowned, his body tensing at the reminder of what Misty had lost...and why she'd gotten close to him in the first place.

Several years prior, long before Konami had ever stepped foot into New Domino City, Toby Tredwell - Misty's beloved brother - had joined the budding Arcadia Movement in hopes of becoming a proud and powerful Duelist just like Akiza, the Black Rose Witch. Unlike Akiza, however, whose abilities went above and beyond any Psychic Duelist known at the time, Toby's power was little more than a spark, or a tiny flame that stood on the verge of being extinguished. The gap was so big that the Arcadia Movement's leader, the detestable Divine, had seen fit to experimenting on the boy in hopes of increasing his power.

As one could expect, it went poorly.

Rather than increasing the boy's psychic potential as hoped, the experiments had instead led to his early demise, setting Misty on a path of vengeance that had ultimately culminated in her awakening as a Dark Signer...and as an enemy of Akiza's. The bond she once shared with her brother, as well as Konami's surprising similarity to his appearance, had been what initially drew Misty to him. And now, after nearly a year of separation, it seemed fate had decided to place her in his path yet again.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Jasmine said quietly, bowing her head as she returned the photo.

"Thank you," Misty replied.

An awkward silence crept into the limo, and Konami could feel the tense atmosphere weigh down upon his shoulders, begging for some form of release. Fortunately for everyone, Chazz was there to provide it.

"So what?" he asked, "You were using the slacker as some kind of replacement for your dead bro or something? Isn't that a little rude?"

"Chazz!" Jasmine gasped, slapping the boy on the shoulder for his callousness, but Misty waved her off.

"No," she said, "it's alright. Besides, your friend here is correct. When I first laid eyes upon Kodo-san, I admit that my first thought was that my brother had come back. However, after meeting him, and speaking with him on various occasions, I came to realize that he has his own unique quirks and talents that separate him from Toby as a person. Talents, it seems, that have led to him appearing before me yet again."

"Not out of choice, I assure you," Konami grunted, earning a scowl from Mindy for his words.

"Like, what's your problem all of a sudden?" she asked. "Your attitude's gotten ten times worse ever since Misty offered to drive us over to the hotel!"

"That's because-" he began, only to shake his head.

She didn't need to know.

The battle of the Dark Signers, as well as the part Misty played in it, were not subjects Konami had any desire of informing her about. It wasn't necessarily a secret, but - put simply - it just wasn't any of her, or anyone else's business. That being said, Konami had to admit that she was right about one thing: Misty's presence had taken its toll on him.

He just couldn't understand it.

Why had she appeared before him now?

Now, when he suffered from the same affliction that had once consumed her whole? It would be a lie to say that he wasn't eventually planning on seeking her out himself, but he'd only intended to do it after he'd dealt with his current situation, when the shadow that haunted him had been utterly and entirely defeated. Not now, when his spirit was weaker than ever. Not now, when the hallucinations he suffered seemed to be growing stronger with each passing day!

So why?

Why was she there?

Like the Signers, were the Dark Signers too, drawn together by fate? Had the mere act of Konami's awakening set into motion the gears that would lead him to his former adversaries, allowing him to collect them piece by piece as if assembling some wicked puzzle? It was an unsettling thought, and though Konami wanted to deny it, he could not help but believe in the notion. After all, had Mina not sought him out and assailed him just hours after his Duel with the reawakened Carly? And now, yet again, was it not Misty who found herself approached by the same vile thief who'd conned his companions out of their luggage?

There was no way this was a coincidence. The encounters had come too frequently, too suddenly to be written off as mere chance. Certainly, he and he alone was to blame for what happened with Carly, but everything else...

No.

No, something else was responsible for that.

But what? Were his recent encounters borne of fate's intervention itself, or was there some other dark force at work, some wicked power guiding him down a dark path from which there was no escape?

Konami's mind drifted to his constant companion, the unwanted spectral shadow that hovered at the edge of his vision even now, taunting him with dark whispers and cold, callous laughs. He shuddered, attempting to dissuade the thing from speaking by casting his gaze away from the glass window and back toward his various companions.

That was a mistake.

The moment she felt his eyes grace her, Misty glanced upward, meeting it with her own. Then, as if sensing the reason for his frustration, she leaned forward with a heavy frown...and spoke.

"Kodo-san," she began, elegant as always. "Your face betrays your emotions, and I can see the conflict brimming within you. Tell me, has my presence here offended you in some way?"

 _'More than you realize,'_ he thought, although he knew better than to say that aloud. Such a response would only serve to bring Jasmine and Mindy's disdain down upon him, and with another Dark Signer sitting just across from him, the last thing he wanted to do was to cause any more negativity than was absolutely necessary. To do that, it was essential that he dissuaded the current flow of conversation and guided things back to more welcome topic, at least until they arrived at the hotel.

There, and only there, would he be able to speak with Misty privately, and discover just how much she recalled about her time in New Domino...assuming she remembered anything at all.

On that note...

"No," he said, shaking his head to banish such notions. "I'm just a little tired, is all."

"Tired? she inquired, "Did you have a bad flight?"

"Hardly!" Jasmine said, butting in with an annoyed scoff. "He spent the whole trip playing Duel Monsters together with Chazz on their fancy little Battle Box! Honestly, if anyone should be tired it's me! All the noise that thing was making drove me completely nuts! And that whole landing fiasco didn't help matters either! Like, for real, if it weren't for the slacker summoning one of his monsters to help us, Chazz and Mindy could've gotten seriously hurt!"

Misty seemed rather annoyed by Jasmine's sudden intrusion, but something in her words must have caught her interest, because she masked her displeasure behind a gentle smile and raised a single eyebrow while forming her response.

"Oh?" she asked, inclining her head toward the girl curiously. "He summoned a monster to help you, did he? How surprising. During our encounters in New Domino City, I'd never once suspected that he was a Psychic Duelist."

"Ha!" Jasmine laughed, tilting her head back to let the noise echo through the small lounge. "Konami? _Psychic?_ Please, He'd have a better chance becoming King of Games than landing one of those freaky powers! He just used some tech Sector Security gave him to summon a monster with something called - oh, what was it again, _Real Vision_? I guess it's some kind of equipment they used to deal with rogue Psychic Duelists plaguing the city a while ago or something. Real fancy stuff!"

"Jasmine!" Konami chastised, hissing at how easily she'd revealed information. "I thought I told you that was classified! It's not something just anyone needs to know!"

"Oh, please!" she replied, waving off his concern. "It'll be fine. Besides, Misty's a supermodel! I bet she knows all about keeping secrets, right?"

"Quite," Misty agreed, meeting Jasmine's smile with one of her own. "However, perhaps you should keep such information private in the future. I'd hate for you to wind up in trouble because you told me something you weren't supposed to." She turned to Konami, "Although, I must say, I'm quite intrigued by this... _Real Vision_. You say it was developed by Sector Security? How interesting. I certainly don't remember them using such technology while _I_ was in town."

His eyes narrowed, realizing she was trying to catch him in his lie.

"I'm not surprised," he replied. "From what I've heard, it had still been in the early testing stages when we last parted ways. You probably left the city before it really started being used."

An obvious lie; one she'd easily be able to see through if she still remembered the later stages of her time spent as a Dark Signer. If she did, it would prove all too easy for her to rip apart his argument; especially when one considered that the first time she'd left the city - in the form of dust and ash after being bested by Akiza - the Arcadia Movement, the most prominent gathering of Psychic Duelists in the city, had already been destroyed. There would be no need for Sector Security to continue developing such tech, at least not in the name of helping them against Psychic Duelists as Konami had claimed. Despite this, he had clung to the lie anyway, intending to use it not only to cast a darker veil over Jasmine and Mindy's eyes, but to gauge Misty's reaction as well.

"Is that so...?" the woman in question asked, lips pursing as she mulled the information over. "A shame. I would have rather liked to see such equipment in action."

Konami frowned. At face value, such a response implied that she had not noticed the lie. However, Konami knew Misty, and while it was true that she was every bit as kind, elegant, and caring as she appeared to be, she was also duplicitous by nature. Despite remaining in the spotlight during her time in New Domino, she'd managed to keep her identity as a Dark Signer hidden well.

She could be doing the same again, masking her true nature behind a veil of elegance until she found the perfect moment to strike.

 _'Or maybe you're just paranoid,'_ the Shadow cackled.

It was possible, Konami admitted. After all, until he'd directly interacted with them through his cards, neither Carly nor Mina recalled any of their time in the service of darkness. Unlike Misty, however, they had only been Dark Signers for a short period of time. Misty, on the other hand, had revived as a Dark Signer long before she'd met Konami. The fact that she even remembered him at all meant that, in at least some way, her memories of being a Dark Signer remained.

The question was, how much?

"We're here," Chazz grunted, alerting the group to the fact that the limo had stopped.

Glancing out the window, Konami realized that - for the first time in a while - Chazz was right. They were pulled onto the side of the road, parked neatly between a pair of sleek, white taxi vans. The doors to the limo suddenly opened, revealing the well-dressed image of the limo's driver.

"Milady," he greeted kindly, "We have arrived."

"Thank you Giorgio," Misty replied, smiling as she gestured to Chazz and the girls. "After you, Princeton-san."

"Well, don't mind if I do," Chazz complied.

Unbuckling his seatbelt, he slid out the door with ease. Mindy was the next to exit, followed neatly by Jasmine, who uttered a groan of relief as she stretched and arched her back.

"Kodo-san?" Misty then said, gesturing toward the door.

"Right," he replied, unbuckling his seatbelt. He slid forward, intending to quietly step out, but as he moved past her, her hand suddenly snatched out and caught him by the wrist. Konami stilled, a sudden sense of dread and worry growing within him at the thought that maybe, somehow, she was about to say or do something horrible.

"What..." he swallowed, turning his head toward her slowly. "What is it...?"

"Oh my, did I frighten you?" she teased, pulling her hand back softly. Her expression was just as gentle and elegant as it had been moments prior; there were no dark lines marring her face, or piercing black eyes... It was the same Misty as always.

"I just wanted to give you this," she explained, offering him a neatly wrapped umbrella. "It's still raining outside, and I'd hate for any of us to get wet."

"...Oh," Konami exhaled, outstretching his hand to accept the gift. "Thanks."

Misty handed it to him politely, then leaned back so he could pass.

True enough, the streets were still pouring as he stepped out the limo. He quickly opened the umbrella, lifting it above his head to shield himself from the greater effects of the swirling storm around them. Misty quickly joined him, using the open parasol as an excuse to stay close.

"Sneaky," Konami murmured under his breath. "Were you planning this from the beginning?"

"Perhaps," she replied. Taking advantage of their proximity, she wrapped her arm around his, joining them at the hip. "Do you disapprove?"

"If you wanted me to escort you inside, you could've just asked." He told her with a frown, "I don't like being manipulated."

"And I don't particularly like being lied to," she answered.

So she _had_ noticed.

Konami felt himself tense, the cold cackle of the Shadow returning full-force as cast a wary glance to Misty's frowning face.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked, curious.

Misty's lips pursed, "I didn't want to embarrass you in front of your friends. I doubt you would've appreciated it, and it would make speaking with you further... _difficult_."

Konami hummed, acknowledging the words as truth. The ensuing fight would have definitely left him feeling spiteful toward the supermodel, even more so, once Jasmine's shouts had stopped distracting him from the fact that - as he suspected - Misty remembered. The act would have likely kept him from trying to approach the woman again, or worse, led to him challenging her to determine whether or not her remembering meant she had any ill intent.

Speaking of which...

"How much do you remember?" he asked, wanting - no, _needing_ \- to know.

"Everything," Misty replied honestly, "from grieving Toby's death to my rebirth as _Ccarayhua's_ servant, as well as everything that happened afterward. I recall everything that occurred in New Domino City...including what I did to you and your friends."

"I see," Konami said, the stiffness in his arms and legs growing thicker by the moment. "And? What are you planning on doing about it?"

Misty smiled at him, "Oh my, are you worried I'll go after Akiza again, or any of the other Signers, for that matter?"

"A little," he admitted. "A lot's happened in the city lately. Unity, progress...and events that have led me to believe that the power of the Earthbound Immortals isn't quite as gone as I'd thought, and even worse, that I might need their help."

"Is that why you dueled Carly on the streets at night?" she asked.

He stared back at her frantically.

She smiled back.

"Try not to look so surprised," she said. "Like the Signers, we Dark Signers are also connected by the thread of fate. Our power, like theirs, resonates when we are together, sending ripples through the fields of destiny that bind us to our fate. This resonance, in conjunction with own unique ability of psycho-physiognomy, is why I knew you had a Duel with dear Carly. It is also why I know that recently, you have awakened as one of us, too."

Konami stopped walking. Her words, ringing with the kernels of truth, sent a jolt of electricity running down his spine.

She knew.

The knowledge of not only what he'd done, but who had he become sat freely in her mind, just waiting to be used to propel whatever dark purpose Ccarayhua demanded of her forward. The cold cackle of his Shadow drifted around him as he raced through various scenarios, and suddenly, he could _feel_ its presence pressing down upon his back, as if trying to crush him. He didn't know what to do. Did he make a move? Did he try to crush her now, so as to prevent the tragedy of what happened in New Domino from occurring once more? Was her Earthbound Immortal even influencing her, as Carly's had done to her? As his own was trying to do to him? He needed more information, but in order to get it, he'd have to endure a conversation he neither wanted nor prepared for.

"During your battle with Carly, I briefly sensed two Earthbound Gods crying out from the void," Misty explained, tilting her head forward. "Given you were the one facing her, it was quite obvious that something must have happened. Tell me now, _Kodo-kun_ , which Mark is it you've awakened to? It can't be one whose wielder still breathes, and you had destroyed Red Nova along with it's own master, Sayer. So, of the sealed lines that remained, that only leaves..."

"Wiraqocha Rasca," Konami answered for her, cutting off her need to deduce the answer. "I bear the Mark of the Condor...and all the pain that comes with it."

"Remarkable," Misty breathed. "Now that Red Nova no longer exists, it could be said that Wiraqocha Rasca is the strongest of the Immortals, bearing the power to rule over life and death, itself. How did you awaken to such power? I never thought that you'd be one to welcome the darkness, especially considering your relationship with the Signers."

Konami's eyes narrowed.

"That's..." he started, "I'm not comfortable telling you that. Not yet; not until I'm sure that-"

"-that I've no ill intentions toward you or your friends?" Misty inquired with a smile. Her grip on his arm tightened, and she pulled herself a little closer to him. "You forget, Kodo-kun, that you are not, and have never been, my enemy. And yes, while I admit that I still bear some resentment toward Akiza for persuading my brother to join the Arcadia Movement, I realize that what happened to Toby was not her fault. His death was at the hands of the Arcadia Movement's true leader, and from what I remember, you have already avenged that death."

"I didn't defeat Divine, nor Sayer, for revenge." Konami said. "I did it to protect the city and the people I care about. The same reason why I made the mistake of forcing Carly to reawaken her powers in the first place. I had the stupid idea that I could actually use the Earthbound Immortals and the powers they granted for good, but instead, all I've done is make things worse."

"Sometimes to perform something great, you must first endure great suffering," Misty offered. "If it is the unrivaled power of the Immortals you seek to tame, it is only natural that they'd resist your demands. For eons, they have served as prisoners of the light, forced to watch as the world forgot who and what they are. The hatred and desire for revenge is not something you could overcome in just a few days."

"And yet," he replied, "it's only taken one day for Wiraqocha Rasca to drive me insane."

Misty hummed softly, acknowledging his words. "You fear the power it holds over you?"

"No, I don't fear it." Konami murmured, "It's more like...I'm afraid of what I'll do if I ever give into it."

"Then once again, it seems that many choices lie before you, Kodo-san. However, you must always remember that fear leads to anger, and that anger shall lead to hate. These negative emotions are the tools the Earthbound Immortals feed on. If you give into them, for even the smallest of offenses, then the battle you wage against your Mark will be lost before it has even begun. If what you seek is to master this power, then first, you must prove that you are not afraid to use it." Misty explained, "Then, and only then, can the path to true mastery over an Immortal be walked."

"Walked?" Konami inquired. "You...You say that like you've done it yourself. Have you?"

Misty pursed her lips, as if determining how to reply. She opened her mouth, perhaps to inform him whether she had or not, when-

" _HEY!_ "

-The voice of Chazz interrupted their conversation. He, along with Jasmine and Mindy, stood on the steps of the Renaissance Hotel, looking back at them as if they were stupid. Given how both he and Misty were still standing beneath an umbrella next to the parked limousine, perhaps they were.

 _"HOW LONG ARE YOU TWO IDIOTS PLANNING ON STANDING OUT THERE?!"_ He shouted through the road. _"GET A MOVE ON, I HAVEN'T GOT ALL NIGHT!"_

Misty smiled, then loosened her grip on Konami's arm.

"It seems the rest of this conversation will have to wait," she said.

"Hang on," Konami started, but Misty shook her head, denying him.

"We shall continue this chat of ours later," she decided. "For now, let us join your friends. Like Princeton-san, I too have grown quite tired of this dreary rain."

Konami frowned at having been silenced, but didn't argue the point. If Misty didn't want to tell him whatever it was she knew, then she wouldn't. No amount of arguing or conversation would change that.

"Later, then." He said, promising to learn more about this 'true mastery' as soon as he could.

Misty nodded her agreement, and together, they strode across the street at last, joining Chazz and the girls in entering the hotel.

 _ **-TF2-**_

Even past nine, the halls of the Renaissance were bustling with activity. Its pearly white tiles and engraved stone pillars could barely be seen beyond the vast ocean of tourists, and the sound of various conversations reverberated throughout the room, filling the air with talk of great landmarks and other sights that could be viewed come morning.

Misty and Chazz had made their way to the counter upon entry, leaving Konami, Mindy, and Jasmine in the mass crowd to wait for their return.

"Like, look at this place!" Jasmine breathed, "It's just chock full of rich assholes."

"And we're one of them!" Mindy whooped, fist pumping the air. "Hey, hey, do you think we'll be able to visit Castle Ovo? Or the National Museum? Or even... _Mount Vesuvius?!_ "

Jasmine patted her on the shoulder, "We'll see. It'll depend on how much time we have left once we're done shopping."

"Given it's you two we're talking about, probably won't be a lot." Chazz muttered, joining them once more alongside a smiling Misty.

"Ack! Chazz, what's that supposed to mean?!" Jasmine asked, stamping her foot with an angry glare.

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe that you two wouldn't know the meaning of time management if it hit you in the face?" he replied. Before either of the girls could utter a retort, he tossed a Jasmine a pair of shiny white cards.

"H-Hey!" she sputtered, just barely managing to grasp the cards before they hit her. "Don't just throw things at me suddenly? What are these things, anyway?"

"Are you so stupid you can't even figure that out? They're the keycards to your room, dummy."

"Who are you calling a dummy, dumbass?!" she snapped back, "And why are there only two of them?! What about the spares?!"

"Those are the spares," Chazz replied haughtily. "One for you, and one for Jasmine. The rest are staying with me, since I don't want you to lose them all."

"The only one who's been losing stuff lately is you!" Jasmine complained, but Mindy waved her off.

"Oh, what's the big deal, Jasmine? We still got our keys!" She chirped happily. "Let's go put our things up and start enjoying the Naples night life! Maybe go to a restaurant or track down some hotties!"

"As long as they aren't like blondie earlier..." Jasmine grumbled beneath her breath. Still, she let Mindy have her way. Turning back to Chazz with a soft frown, she pursed her lips and spoke. "What floor are we on again? You said it was a Suites, right?"

"Numbers on the card," Chazz explained, pointing down to the numerical symbols plastered across the key's surface. "Here Konami, since you and I have our own separate rooms, I better give you your keys too."

"Thanks," Konami said, snatching the cards out the air after Chazz had thrown them.

"Ah!" Jasmine gawked, stamping her foot again when she saw Konami not two, but four sets of keys. "How come you gave him _his_ spares?!"

"Because he's more responsible than you are!" Chazz explained, folding his arms.

"That's not true! I'm way more responsible and mature than that slacker!"

"Oh yeah? Prove it!"

"I'll prove something, you little-!"

"Now, now. This isn't the place to be arguing," Misty interjected. "Surely you both have more important things to do than cause a scene here, among fellow tourists and businessmen?"

" _Mmmmmm!_ " Jasmine growled, "Fine! But don't think this is over, Chazz! Don't forget, the fate of your love life still rests in the palm of my hand."

"Yeah, yeah," Chazz complained, scratching the back of his neck. "What're you gonna do this time? Charge me another ten grand? Sorry, but I'm all out of vacation funds! You run out, and you're on your own."

"Hmpf!" Jasmine huffed, turning on her heel to regard Mindy once more. "Let's go, Mins! We've got some unpacking to do!"

"It was nice meeting you!" Mindy said, waving farewell to Misty as Jasmine began dragging her away. "We should chat some more in the morning!"

"Yes," Misty agreed, waving back. "Perhaps we shall."

"No perhaps about it," Konami sighed, adjusting his grip on his own bag. "We _will_ be speaking later, but for now, I'm beat. I think I'll turn in for the night, get some proper rest before I have to wake up and help Chazz out-"

"-oh no, you don't!" Chazz warned, grasping Konami by the shoulder before he could escape. "You don't get to turn in just yet! We have a meeting we need to get too, along with miss supermodel over here. The host for tomorrow's event wants to see us, so wipe that sleep from your eyes and come on!"

"What? You really need me to tag along with you for this?"

"You're gonna be dueling with me, aren't you?" Chazz asked as if he were stupid. "So get your ass in gear and come on!"

Konami sighed. It wasn't that he was particularly opposed to joining Chazz in his meeting, but the sudden and unexpected encounter with Misty had left a bad taste in his mouth, and right now, there was nothing that he wanted to do more than sit down and concoct a plan on how to deal with the situation. Still, since Chazz was doing him the favor of flying him to Nazca once the event was said and done, he supposed the least he could do was comply with the Obelisk's demands.

"Fine," he said, casting aside his dreams of a nice and quiet evening. "Let's get this over with. Are they in this hotel too, or are we going to have to wait out in the rain for another limo?"

Misty giggled, but quickly assured him otherwise.

"You needn't worry. Our Master of Ceremonies has acquired a room here amongst these floors," she explained, unclipped her purse and reaching inside. "In fact, I do believe he sent a message to me earlier with the exact room number."

"Same," Chazz explained, pulling out his very own cellphone. "Looks like it's room-"

"Four nineteen," Misty finished, earning a scowl from Chazz for interrupting. "This way, then."

She pushed her way through the crowd toward one of the elevators, breathing a sigh of relief when - upon pushing the button - the door opened immediately. Konami and Chazz followed her inside, approving of the lack of any additional passengers as the doors to the metal cage finally slid shut. Once they were inside, Misty's hand slid across the control panel, then gently pressed against the button labeled four. Immediately after she'd done so, the elevator whirred to life, rumbling with a growl that accompanied the slight vibration of movement beneath their feet.

They rose.

Floor by floor, the elevator climbed to their desired destination, coming to a swift and sudden halt only once they'd reached the fourth floor. With a high-pitched beep, the metal doors swung open, revealing a brand new set of pearly white halls far less occupied than those of the lobby below.

"Well, here we are." Misty said, stepping out. "Shall we?"

"Yes," Chazz muttered, striding past her and into the passageway.

Misty made to accompany him, leaving Konami to sigh and follow after them. Together, the three strode down the empty hall, passing noisy rooms and silent doors from which hung what he could only assume were "Do Not Disturb" door tags written in the city's native language. After what seemed like an eternity of walking - though Konami was certain it had actually been less than a minute - they eventually came to stop outside a long white door lacking any type of door tag. Across its surface hung a sleek metal plate upon which read the numerical symbols of 419.

They had arrived.

Chazz brazenly rapped his knuckles against the door's surface several times. The sound of shuffling feet served as a swift reply, and in moments, the lock securing the door from the inside was let loose, and the passage swung open.

Inside, holding the door, stood a tall, lanky man in a fashionable red suit. An enormous black pompadour sat well-groomed at the top of his head, fitting remarkably well with his thin moustache and small, pointy beard.

"Ah!" he said happily upon seeing the three. "Mister Princeton, and with Ms. Tredwell, no less! I've been waiting for you! Please, come in, come in!"

Making room while ushering them inside, he quickly stepped further inside his suite while gesturing to the wide kitchen space to his left.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee? An apple? There's some room service on the counter as well, dare I recommend the Tiramisu? It's absolutely to _die_ for!"

"I had enough to eat during my flight I'm afraid," Misty apologized, "but I do thank you for the offer."

"Hmph, speak for yourself," Chazz murmured, digging his hands into the dessert to pull out a rectangular-shaped slice. "I'm starving! You say there's some room service? Might have to get some of that myself later."

"Yes, yes, please!" the fashionable man replied. "You should enjoy yourself to the fullest while you're here. Eat, Drink, Love!"

"I thought France was the country of love?" Misty asked, only to earn a wave of the hand in response.

"Details!" the man scoffed, "The point is, you're in Italy! Live a little!"

"Isn't that why we're here?" Chazz asked, speaking between bites. "To liven up this promotion of yours?"

"Ah, yes, yes! You speak of the event tomorrow, my grand work - the unveiling of the future of Duel Monsters entertainment!"

"I heard it's some sort of...TV show?" Konami inquired, folding his arms in disgust at Chazz's ravenous behavior.

"Quite so!" the man said, stepping forward while offering a handshake. "You must be the one filling in for ol' Kaiba. You're a friend of Mr. Princeton's, yes? I am the Master of Ceremonies, MC for short. I could offer you my real name, of course, but I worked hard to earn this title, and I'll be damned if I won't have anyone use it!"

"Right..." Konami said slowly, shaking the man's hand. "You can call me Konami."

"Slacker for short!" Chazz interjected.

"Slacker?" the MC gasped, rearing back his hand. "Oh, no, no, no! There must be no slacking in this! We must all give one hundred percent, if not more to ensure this promotion is a success!"

"You needn't worry," Misty assured him. "I've had the pleasure of working with Kodo-san in the past. He won't let you down."

"Oh! Well, I'm certainly glad to hear it!" the MC breathed, smoothing his tie while releasing a held breath. "The last thing we need is a disaster on set, especially since we'll be filming live!"

"Hang on, live?" Chazz asked, "Are we still getting a practice run?"

"I'm afraid not!" said the MC, flailing his hands in the air. "A lot's happened since we last spoke. Last minute changes, and cameramen problems, it was an absolute nightmare before you got here! Fortunately I managed to hire on a new group to manage things, but...whew! Let me just restate how happy I am that you all made it here safely."

"Almost didn't..." Konami murmured under his breath, recalling Chazz and Mindy's near death on the plane.

He was quickly elbowed in the side by said victim.

"Well I, for one, am glad to be here." Chazz said, grinning. "It's nice to know that you wanted the best of the best here to help you."

"Yes, yes! Chazz Princeton, the greatest XYZ Duelist in the Pro Leagues besides Seto Kaiba himself! And Misty, your role in Atlas Rising, while a little controversial, has definitely put your foot in the door for future acting roles! Are you sure you don't want to sign on for the full first season?"

"Quite sure," Misty apologized. "I'm far too busy at the moment to tie myself down with such a role, but as I said before, I'm more than happy to help in this promotion of yours. Duel Monsters is one of the most beloved sports of our generation. I will do anything I can to help secure its legacy, and spread its influence to our younger audiences."

"Ah, yes...and I suppose that brings me to the meat of our meeting today. It's time you all met the last member of tomorrow's promotional Tag Duel!" the MC turned on his heel, walking to the connecting door of the room adjacent to his. He knocked several times on the door.

"Uh, yeah?" a young, boyish voice asked from the other side. "Who is it?"

"What do you mean, 'Who is it?'" the MC asked, "It's your boss! That was your cue, come on, get in here! It's time you met the other Duelists?"

"Huh? Already?! Hang on, I'll be right there!"

There was the sound of a slam, quickly accompanied by the hurried shuffle of tiny feet. The noise of opening and closing drawers then followed, along with one or two pained cries as the boy stumbled or tripped his way around the room. Konami felt the rising urge to sigh. But just when he was about to do so, the connecting door swung open, and a young boy with spiky black hair - which had two red bangs at the front - leapt inside.

" _IT'S TIME TO HIGH-FIVE THE SKY!"_ the boy screamed as he did, only to let out a frightened yelp as he slipped upon landing and fell onto his rear. "Oof!"

"Well, that looked painful." Chazz grunted with a wince.

"Are you alright?" Misty asked, walking over to check on the young lad.

"Oh yeah, I'm good." The boy said, scratching the back of his neck with a grin.

Not for long, however, for just as he finished saying the words, the MC began to march over with an angry expression.

"Yuma!" he shouted, jabbing his finger in the boy's face. "What kind of intro was that?! You're supposed to entertain the group, not worry them!"

"Aw, come on! I got the line right, didn't I?" the so-called Yuma asked, laughing it all off. "Besides, it's only important that I get it right come showtime, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"-then it's no big deal!" Yuma interrupted, leaping back to his feet. "Anyway, are these my co-stars you were talking about? They're all kind of old, aren't they?"

"Old?!" Chazz glowered, "I'm not old, I'm the Chazz!"

"I don't mean like super old or anything!" Yuma assured rapidly, "I was just expecting some more people my age, that's all!"

"Yes, yes, and I told you that we'd get them once we start shooting for the actual show!" the MC explained. "For now, however, we need to make sure we get funding to do it in the first place, which is why we're all here! And now that everyone's gathered, I can finally unveil it...the project dubbed _Duel Monsters Zexal!_ Or should I make the X silent? _Zexal? Zeal?_ Which do you prefer?"

"You can call it whatever you want as long as give me my paycheck at the end of all this," Chazz huffed.

"Don't be like that!" Yuma said happily, "Aren't you glad to be part of something awesome like this! I mean, I get to star in a Duel Monsters show about Yugi freakin' Muto! It's way past cool!"

"Way past cool? Kids still say that?" Konami whispered to Chazz, earning a shrug in response.

Making a mental note to ask about modern slang from the twins, Konami took the moment to examine the boy's appearance. Having dressed rapidly to come and meet the group, Yuma was clad from neck to toe in a thick Blue-Eyes White Dragon onesie, whose top was covered by a loose red vest with a white hood. A strange device sat tight above his left eye, appearing as some sort of visor that one might use to block out the sun. Given its appearance, Konami might have thought of it as some sort of monocle to help the boy see, if not for its smooth green lens that no doubt dyed the world a similar color. Yuma must have caught him looking, for he suddenly turned to Konami with a grin.

"Like my Duel Gazer, huh?" he asked.

"Your what?"

"My Duel Gazer," Yuma repeated, adjusting the object as he spoke. "It's just a prop I'm getting used to wearing, but in the show it's gonna do all kinds of cool things!"

"Is that right?" Konami drawled, interest waning now that he knew it was little more than a child's toy. "Sounds neat."

"So...what's your story in all this? Like, I get Chazz because he's a Pro, and Misty's a super hot model, but who're you?"

"A classmate," Konami explained, not wanting to go into details with a stranger. "Of Chazz's. Your other guy called off so I decided to help you out."

"Called off? Wait, so you mean I won't be meeting Seto Kaiba after all?!" Yuma shrieked, staggering back in shock. "But I was supposed to show him my super cool Blue-Eyes onesie!"

"Trust me kid, it's probably for the best he didn't see it."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

Konami shook his head, not willing to tell the child just how hideous his onesie truly was.

"Forget it," he said instead, deciding to change the topic. "So, you've heard my story, but I still don't know yours. Yuma, right? You a child actor or something?"

"Heh," Yuma smirked, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You got that right. I worked really hard to get this job, and since its a Duel Monsters show, that means I should be able to get all kinds of cool new cards, too! Me and my Utopia will totally blow you away tomorrow," he suddenly paused, "that is, assuming you're not the one I'm supposed to be teaming up with."

"Oh, on the contrary, Mr. Kodo is here to work with Mr. Princeton, not you!" the MC exclaimed, overhearing their discussion. "You, young Yuma, will be teaming up with Ms. Tredwell here, who I've prepared a special Deck for to truly show off the appeal of Zexal!"

"Oh my," Misty said, raising a hand to her cheek. "You went through the trouble of preparing a new Deck for me as well?"

"But of course!" the MC roared, "To show off the power of the summoning methods that will frequent the show Duel Monsters Zexal, you and the show's main character, Yuma here, must use cards suited to gathering the power of the cosmos itself!"

"That brings me to another question," Chazz snapped, "I have my suspicions, but just what is this 'new' summoning method you're talking about, anyway?"

"Hoho, curious, are you? Well, rest assured that I'll let you in on the secret..." the MC declared, "...Tomorrow, with the rest of our audience!"

"SAY WHAT?!" Chazz barked, "YOU MEAN YOU'RE KEEPING US IN THE DARK TOO?!"

The MC laughed, the sound echoing through his apartment with a gentle hum. "Oh my, forgive me, I just - I couldn't resist! Oh, oh, no worries, Mr. Princeton. You and the other Duelists will be made fully aware of just what Duel Monsters Zexal has to offer."

Turning on his heel, the man strode to the corner of his room where a large, silver suitcase sat locked and secured. Retrieving a small golden key from the folds of his pocket, he slowly reached forward and undid the lock. A soft click emanated throughout the room, prompting him to swing the suitcase onto the bed and swing it wide open. He then ushered the group forward, so that they could gaze at what laid inside.

It was a card.

A single card, grafted with the artwork of a shining soldier of justice and truth, cleaving a path to victory and inspiring hope in all who witnessed his power. However, despite the monster's incredible detail and art, Konami's eyes were not drawn to it. Instead, his gaze was locked firmly on what laid around it, for the border of the card...was a color he'd seen before.

A color he thought only he had.

Black.

Not dark grey, like a Dark Synchro, but black; a true black, dark as night- no, it _was_ the night, for upon these borders even the stars and galaxies that laid beyond could be seen. Such a border belonged to monsters Konami had only ever summoned himself; monsters he'd been given or created through the power of the Overlay Network.

And as his gaze locked upon the four black orbs stationed just above the card's artwork, he confirmed it.

This monster, _Number 39: Utopia_...

It was an Xyz Monster.

"How..." he started, only to find himself suddenly pushed aside as Yuma raced forward to lean his head down into the suitcase.

"Wow!" the boy gasped, "So it's finally done?!"

"Yes, my boy!" The MC chuckled, "The ace monster of your character's Deck... the capable soldier from another world. I give to you all, humanity's first Xyz monster!"

"Hmpf, an _Xyz monster_ , huh?" Chazz grunted smugly, glancing at Konami curiously. "Just like I thought, they only wanted me here cause I can use VWXYZ Dragon Catapult Cannon! What do you think, Konami? Does humanity's first Xyz monster look all that great?" Then, in a quieter voice, he added, _"Does it compare to yours?"_

"It's certainly something," Konami murmured beneath his breath, not deigning to answer Chazz's other, more personal, question. "Did you come up with this idea yourself?" he asked the MC instead, only for the man to shake his head in response.

"I wish I could take the credit, but the idea actually came from one of our producers," the MC explained. "To sell a Duel Monsters show in this day and age, it must first have a reason for people to watch! The best way to do that is to introduce a new summoning mechanic that could also be used in the real game, which is why...this remarkable creature was born! And soon, there will be many more like it! From one pack to two, the popularity of these new Xyz monsters will grow, and with them, so too shall Zexal rise to the top of the charts! This is my plan! _This_ _is our destiny!_ "

Konami winced at the man's zeal, wondering if what he'd been told was true. Though the MC didn't know it, Number 39: Utopia was anything but humanity's first Xyz monster. On the contrary, as far as Konami knew, it was the no longer existing Rasca Dawn Dragon that held that honor. Still, even that had only been created due to the intervention of Zone, who himself had come from an alternate future. Was it possible that he had merely taken Rasca Dawn Dragon back with him, and used its power to seal Wiraqocha Rasca? Was the event Konami was set to take part in tomorrow, the true birth of Xyz monsters?

Everything was so confusing, and growing more complicated by the minute. Still, if this was the path he was supposed to take, if destiny had allowed him to witness the first _real_ emergence of Xyz monsters...then who was he to complain?

"Two Level Four monsters?" Misty noticed, ignorant to the conflict within him.

"Indeed," the MC confirmed. "To summon an Xyz monster, one must first gather two or more monsters of the same Level on their field! Then, by placing these monsters on top of one another, an incredible power can emerge from the Extra Deck!"

"Overlay..." Konami murmured softly, knowing the true term.

"Overlay?" the MC asked, humming thoughtfully. "Yes, yes, I think I like the sound of that!"

"Uh, you do?"

"Quite so! Yes, Overlay! _Overlay!_ By overlaying two or more monsters, an Xyz monster can be born!" the MC cheered. "Wonderful, wonderful! I never would have thought of such a thing myself!"

"I'm sure you would have," Konami sighed, setting a hand on his hip.

"So, do I get to take this card for a spin?!" Yuma asked eagerly, hopping up and down.

"All in due time," the MC promised. "You'll be able to use it to your heart's content in tomorrow's Duel. For now, however, we should go over tomorrow's proceedings, and what you all should expect."

Taking the man's advice, the group then listened to what was easily an two hour lecture on the seating arrangements, opening ceremonies, monster reveals, and finally, the duel itself. It was almost twelve when the MC finally brought them to a close with a loud clap, spurring Konami - who had fallen asleep around the forty five minute mark - awake.

"And that's everything," he closed, bowing as if he'd just finished giving some great performance.

"Is...Is it over?" Yuma asked, eyes sunken and weary as he hovered where he stood.

"What did I miss?" Konami, in turn, asked with a yawn.

"My embarrassment in bringing you along, for one thing!" Chazz sighed, grabbing him by the collar. "Like I said," he told Misty and the MC as he did, "Slacker."

"Hohoho!" the MC laughed, "Well, I'm sure you'll have him up to speed by the time the duel begins tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah." Chazz grunted, pulling Konami along as he headed for the door. "Trust me, we'll be fine!"

"Huh? We will?" Konami asked.

"I will," Chazz murmured, "You won't, because once we're out of here, I'm gonna kick your ass for embarrassing me like that!"

"Language, Chazz! There's a child present!"

"Screw that brat! He's a star on TV!" He roared, and with a slam of the door, Konami's new nightmare began.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER NINETEEN - END**_

* * *

 _"It's time to Duel!"_

 _Having finally gotten a proper night's sleep despite Chazz's outrage, Konami finds himself facing Misty and Yuma in the Duel Monsters Zexal Promotion Event! He and Chazz make use of the latter's powerful XYZ tactics to gain the upper hand as planned, driving Misty and Yuma into a corner from which they cannot escape! They prepare to make use of Xyz summoning, but as Misty goes to act, she finds the cards are gone?! At that moment, something terrible happens..._

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: The First Step! Go With the Flow!**_

 _"Give it up! You can't beat D-Boyz!"_

* * *

 _ **Read & Review!**_

 _ **Also, now that this story is going somewhat consistently, should I just keep going and finish this one first, or would you rather I swing back and forth between this and writing the final part of the GX story as well? Maybe I'll put up a poll, but either way, let me know!**_

 _ **Stay Crusty,**_

 _ **Hiyuusha**_


	20. The First Step! Go With the Flow!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"Like the Signers, we Dark Signers are also connected by the thread of fate."_

 _During a discussion with Misty in the rainy streets outside the Renaissance Hotel, Konami discovers that the elegant supermodel remembers everything about her time as a Dark Signer! Though he attempts to seek further answers, particularly those that would lead him to ridding himself of Wiraqocha Rasca's influence, the interruption of Chazz brings a swift and sudden end to the conversation._

 _"GET A MOVE ON! I HAVEN'T GOT ALL NIGHT!"_

 _Hurrying, he two join the group in the hotel, only to part ways with Jasmine and Mindy so they can meet up with the Tag Duel's esteemed host: an eccentric businessman bearing the title MC! Through him, the fourth and final member of tomorrow's Tag Duel is revealed...and it is none other than Yuma Tsukumo, at least, that's the name of the character he's playing! Alas, even with the fourth and final member of the Duel determined, one further secret was suddenly revealed..._

 _"I give to you all, humanity's first Xyz monster!"_

 _Be it through evolution or some other means, the path to Xyz Summoning has been created! Revealing that this is the true purpose of tomorrow's Duel, the MC lectures the group on its various rules and usage, along with the many details they'd need to know to make the event an astounding success! Now, as the sun rises on Naples, Italy, the moment of truth grows near! Will Konami and the group manage to sell ZeXal as an astounding hit? Prepare to find out!_

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER TWENTY**_

* * *

 _ **The First Step! Go With the Flow!**_

* * *

The stadium was pounding.

The noise of a filled audience reverberated from wall to wall, echoing through the hallways and into the side chambers where Konami and Chazz stood. They'd been there ever since they arrived early in the morning, having accompanied Misty, Yuma, and the MC to the arena after waking just after dawn. Konami thought it had happened far too suddenly. It seemed like it'd only been a few minutes ago when he'd still been getting an earful from Chazz for falling asleep during the MC's lecture. Still, he supposed he couldn't really complain. He was there for Chazz's benefit, after all, and as his guest, anything he did reflected on the Princetons as well. With that in mind, he'd taken Chazz's screeching without complaint, eager to put this event behind him so he could work towards bigger and better things, like learning the secret of this 'True Mastery' that Misty seemed to have discovered.

The woman had been silent ever since their conversation in the rain, and although he'd tried to pry further during the talks at breakfast, she'd merely cast a gentle smile in his direction, and promised they'd speak later.

And so, there he stood, decked in full gear, ready to wage war against Yuma and Misty in the name of XYZ.

"Are they ready for us yet?" he asked Chazz with a yawn, "I think I've still got time to get a few more Z's in."

"Shut up!" Chazz barked back, "And don't you dare fall asleep again! You've embarrassed me enough, as is!"

"Still upset about that, huh? Let it go, Chazz," Konami suggested. "You don't wanna be mad at your partner during the Duel now, do ya? We've gotta put on a good show!"

Grumbling, Chazz folded his arms and scowled. Konami figured he was probably a little cranky himself, no doubt due to the fact that he'd spent much of the time he could've been sleeping catching Konami up on the overall details of the Duel. Not that he really should've bothered. By the end of his lecture, Konami had basically gotten the gist of it:

Rule Number One: Don't obliterate the opponent until Xyz Summoning had made its debut.

Rule Number Two: Don't screw up.

It seemed easy enough, and Konami doubted that even a child like Yuma would have trouble following the instructions. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious. The last time he'd dueled in an official event, barring the obnoxious screw up that was the Transcend Tournament, had been during New Domino City's esteemed Fortune Cup; a tournament that ended with him in a coma, and Exodius in pieces. Realizing that, he figured it was nothing more than nerves keeping him alert and ready, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong.

He glanced idly to his Mark of the Shadows. Was it, perhaps, responsible for his fears? After all, it had the habit of lighting up at inopportune times. A Duel in front of millions would be the perfect time for Rasca to try and cause some mayhem, and with Misty - a former Dark Signer herself - present, and as an enemy no less, there was no telling what could happen. Konami would have to be extra careful to ensure nothing went wrong, or - at the very least - make sure that if something _did_ go wrong...it wasn't because of him.

"Sounds like they're getting ready for us," Chazz murmured, listening to the sounds of the audience die down. "You ready, Red Hat?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Konami sighed. tilting his cap forward and running his finger along the rim of its edge. "Just promise me you won't be the reason we lose, alright?"

"Ha! As if we'd lose to these chumps! New cards or not, I'm still the Chazz, and you're still a graduating member of _my_ year. There's no way we can lose!"

"Glad to hear it," he replied, and he turned his head forward to face the opening gates.

 _"AND NOW,"_ the clearing voice of the MC roared from the stadium arena, _"THE TIME HAS COME TO MEET OUR DUELISTS! SO, WITHOUT A FURTHER ADO, I INTRODUCE YOU TO... KONAMI KODO AND CHAZZ 'THE CHAZZ' PRINCETON!"_

"That's our cue," Konami said, but Chazz was already striding forward, arms raised to catch all the praise his name would bring. The cheers of the audience only seemed to grow once they'd actually entered the arena, and for a while, Konami could feel the ground itself shake under the force of their roars.

Chazz seemed right at home amongst the shouts, his folded arms portraying an aura of complete confidence as he stood in position, awaiting the arrival of their future foes. Konami did his best to mimic the look.

 _"OF COURSE,"_ the MC stated once they'd settled in, _"TWO DUELISTS DOES NOT A TAG DUEL MAKE. THEREFORE, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TWO PROUD DUELISTS OF THE FUTURE! COMING FROM AN AGE IN WHICH XYZ MEANS MORE THAN FUSION, HERE THEY COME...THE HOT-BLOODED YUMA TSUKUMO AND GORGEOUS MISTY TREDWELL!"_

A shower of red and green sparks erupted from the opposite site of the stadium entrance, fitting colors for the pair, given what Konami knew about them. Misty had almost always dressed in various shades of green during her time in New Domino City, and as for Yuma, well...the vest he'd worn during their encounter last night was as red as Konami's own jacket!

They were dressed in similar wear when they emerged on stage. Misty was wrapped in an elegant white dress with a light green skirt, while Yuma had worn what he claimed was his usual attire; a purple shirt with a large D in the center, a pair of white pants with orange crescents at the bottom, and his flashy red vest. His Duel Gazer sat over his left eye like usual, accenting his identity as the show's flashy protagonist alongside his colorful, two-toned hair.

"Alright!" the boy cheered as he ran onto the scene, waving at the crowd frantically. "This is gonna be so awesome!"

"Yes," Misty agreed, her eyes fixated on Konami. "I look forward to seeing how you've improved as a Duelist since we last met, Kodo-san."

"Hmph," he replied. "Sorry to disappoint you, but this isn't the place to show you my real skill."

Nonetheless, he flung his arm forward, bringing the Duel Disk strung across its length to life. The other three Duelists did the same, prompting the MC to laugh ferociously as quickly begin backing out from between them.

 _"OH! WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT FOLKS?! IT SEEMS OUR DUELISTS ARE READY TO THROW DOWN! TELL ME NOW, ARE YOU READY TO SEE THEM RUMBLE?"_

He raised his microphone to the sky, allowing it to take in the replying roar of the crowd. Once it had hung for a moment, he brought it back to his lips to ask another question.

 _"ARE YOU READY TO SEE THEM RAGE?!"_

He lifted the mic to take in another cacophony of noise.

 _"THEN HERE WE GO!"_ the MC shouted, dashing his hand toward the four participants. _"ONE,"_ he shouted, chopping through the air as his count began. _"TWO, THREE-!"_

 _ **"DUEL!"**_

 _ **YUMA AND MISTY VS CHAZZ AND KONAMI**_

 _ **YUMA AND MISTY - 4000 LP  
CHAZZ AND KONAMI - 4000 LP**_

"Alright, let's get this show on the road! Hey Misty, you mind if I take the first move, because I've gotta say..." Yuma said, swinging his remarkably small Duel Disk into the air and catching it smoothly on his left arm. "I'm feeling the flow!"

The crowd cheered at his antics, eating up his dramatic and over-the-top moves even as Misty nodded politely.

"By all means, go first." She allowed.

"Heh," Yuma grinned, casting his gaze toward Chazz and Konami. "You guys are really in for it now! Get set to get decked, 'cause it's my move, I draw!"

He spun around while a pulling a card from his Deck, then grinned as he took in its appearance.

 _ **TURN ONE - YUMA - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I summon Gagaga Magician!" He shouted, slapping the drawn card upon his Duel Disk immediately.

A golden light filled the arena field as the Solid Vision activated, transforming the card's artwork into an intense, life-like hologram. In seconds, a blue-robed Spellcaster surrounded by a floating steel chain emerged from the card hologram, taking to the field to attack his master's foes. A shell or auburn-colored protective pads hung from his shoulders and rose up past the back of his head, which itself was wrapped in a pointy hat similar to that of the fabled Dark Magician. As he spun around and posed to signal the completion of his summoning, he gave out a proud grunt, then hovered by Yuma's side.

 _Gagaga Magician - LV4 - DARK - Spellcaster - (1500/1000)_

"Of course," Yuma explained as he stared down his opponents, "since I went first, I'm not allowed to attack this Turn. So go ahead, your move!"

Chazz smiled grimly and unfolded his arms.

"You got that right," he answered, "and with it, I'll pound that magician of yours to pieces! My move, I draw!"

Ripping a card from the top of his own Deck, he prepared to perform the acts that would do just that.

 _ **TURN TWO - CHAZZ - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I summon my V-Tiger Jet in Attack Mode!" Chazz stated.

With a fling of his hand, he smacked the declared card onto his Duel Disk, allowing a larger hologram of the card to appear before him on the arena floor. A burst of light then erupted from it, materializing the form of the weaponized machine Konami had seen so often since first facing it on the plane.

 _V-Tiger Jet - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1600/1800)_

"And I'm not ending things there, because I've got a Spell to play too!" he revealed, spinning his drawn card around so everyone could see it. "I play Frontline Base!"

Sliding the card into one of his open Spell Zones, Chazz watched as a hologram of the card appeared just behind his summoned V-Tiger Jet.

"Frontline Base, its a Continuous Spell?" Yuma asked, "What does it do?!"

"Here," Chazz chuckled, reaching into his hand for another card. "Let me show you. I summon W-Wing Catapult!"

The blue machine burst from the card hologram that materialized on Chazz's field, then soared around the arena as if searching for a place to dock. After pulling in for a landing upon its very own card, it turned itself to face Misty and Yuma, then raised its weapons so they were ready to fire.

 _W-Wing Catapult - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1500/1300)_

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" Yuma complained, "You already summoned a monster this Turn!"

"What's the matter?" asked Chazz with a smirk. "I thought you said you wanted me to explain my Frontline Base for you?"

"H-Huh?!"

"When Frontline Base is activated, I can Special Summon a Level Four or lower Union monster from my hand each Turn! My W-Wing Catapult happens to fit those parameters, so I brought it out nice and easy, got it?!"

"But that means you've got two monsters on the field!" Yuma complained.

"And now, I'm gonna use them to tear you to shreds!" Chazz grinned, clenching his fist. "But first, I'll have to get rid of your defense! Go, V-Tiger Jet! Destroy his Gagaga Magician and clear the board! _Jungle Fury!_ "

With a roar that sounded as if a real tiger itself had descended upon the crowd, V-Tiger Jet took off toward Yuma's magician, ready to pounce. The tiger head poised on the front of the vehicle opened to reveal a single gleaming cannon, which in turned unleashed a devastating wave of gunfire down upon the field. Gagaga Magician attempted to swerve and avoid the bullets as best as he could, but V-Tiger Jet was just a little too strong, a little too quick, for him to keep it up. Before long, a single bullet tore through Gagaga's shoulder, rendering the man helpless as the Tiger Jet neared. Using its sharpened green wings, the machine cleaved through the magician's torso with ease, transforming him into golden petals that scattered across the ground harmlessly, announcing the monster's defeat.

 _ **CHAZZ AND KONAMI - 4000 LP  
YUMA AND MISTY - 3900 LP**_

"Urgh...!" Yuma winced, shielding himself as some of the shards fell his way, "My Gagaga Magician!"

"I wouldn't worry about him right now," Chazz stated, "because now that he's gone, you're next! W-Wing Catapult attacks directly! I hope you brought some pills kid, 'cause you're about to feel the pain!"

Yuma's eyes widened as the blue catapult crashed into his body, and with a pained shout he flung himself backward, relishing in the Solid Vision's blow.

 _ **CHAZZ AND KONAMI - 4000 LP  
YUMA AND MISTY - 2400 LP**_

With a cry, Yuma's back hit the floor of the arena, but he didn't stay down long. In seconds, he had already flung his legs upward, and was using his arm strength to propel himself back to his feet. Wiping the bridge of his nose after landing gracefully, he fixed Chazz with a wary smile, acknowledging his opponent's strength.

"Hehe," he murmured, "Looks like your monsters are pretty tough, huh?"

"They're about to get even tougher," Chazz warned, throwing his arm forward. "That's right! It's time my V and W become VW! By banishing these two separate monsters from my field, I can Fusion Summon the monster they become when they combine forces! Now, merge, V-Tiger Jet, W-Wing Catapult! Come together to create..." he clasped his hands together in a dramatic, showy fashion, "...the VW-Tiger Catapult!"

Sparks of electricity roared across the field as Tiger Jet took flight once more, moving atop W-Wing Catapult to dock. As it took its place upon the Union monster's surface, a golden light erupted from between them, signaling the completion and emergence of a new power. This power was the VW-Tiger Catapult, a monster created through the union of jet and catapult!

 _VW-Tiger Catapult - LV6 - LIGHT - Machine - (2000/2100)_

"Wow!" Yuma breathed, staring at the monster in surprise. "You managed to merge two monsters into one? That's awesome!"

"You know what else is awesome?" Chazz asked. "Winning. A shame you won't get to know what it feels like. I set one card face-down and end my Turn! It's your move, runt."

"Actually," Misty interrupted, "since this is a Tag Duel, I think you'll find that it's mine. Now, Princeton-san, prepare yourself! I draw!"

Twirling gracefully, Misty elegantly pulled a card from the top of her Deck, announcing the start of a new Turn. Her Turn; one that would be remembered for years to come!

 _ **TURN THREE - MISTY - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 2400 LP**_

"First, I believe I'll revive my partner's defeated monster with this, the Spell Card _Monster Reborn!_ " Misty announced, revealing the card while sliding it into her Duel Disk. As she did, a hologram of the card materialized before her, showering the field with the glow of its shining ankh. "With it, I can revive one monster from either of our Graveyards, which means Yuma's Gagaga Magician will take to the field once more!"

"Yes!" The chain-wielding Spellcaster shouted as he was revived, appearing from the ankh's shining light.

 _Gagaga Magician - LV4 - DARK - Spellcaster - (1500/1000)_

"Big deal," Chazz complained. "That monster couldn't match up against my V and W when they were separate! And now that they've combined, it's got even less of a chance of coming out on top!"

"Which is why I'll be giving him some back-up. I'm activating the effect of a monster in my hand," Misty explained, slapping a card onto her Duel Disk beside the revived Gagaga Magician. "While I control a face-up Spellcaster, I can Special Summon this card to the field. Now, say hello to my Jigabyte!"

Lightning sparked across the Monster Zone as she spoke, and from within it, a large, muscular reptile began to rise. Standing on two legs like a human, it peered out into the world through a pair of beady yellow eyes. Various spikes grew from its shoulders, elbows, and kneecaps, accompanied by nothing but a pair of arm and leg wraps that were strung around the appendages tightly. Growling as it finally settled in, Jigabyte turned and glared at VW-Tiger Catapult, ready for a long battle.

 _Jigabyte - LV4 - WATER - Reptile - (1500/200)_

"And I'm not stopping there," Misty continued, "because since Jigabyte was Special Summoned, I still have my Normal Summon to use as well! And I have just the monster to summon with it!" She reached into her hand for another card, then placed it onto her Duel Disk on the opposite side of Gagaga Magician.

"Come forth," she shouted as she did, "Gagagigo!"

A second eruption of electricity followed her declaration, and a meaner, leaner version of Jigabyte materialized from within. Looking near identical to its younger counterpart, it stood tall and ready, prepared to do battle for the sake of bringing victory home to its mistress.

 _Gagagigo - LV4 - WATER - Reptile - (1850/1000)_

"Hmph," Chazz snorted, "All that effort, and look what it's gotten you. You might have a bunch of monsters, but not one of them has the strength or effect to beat my VW-Tiger Catapult!"

"Maybe not," Misty agreed, "but while my monsters might not prove capable of defeating your Tiger Catapult by themselves, if they join their power, then the force they create can!"

"Join their power?" Chazz asked, his words reeking of the script. "What are you talking about? Your monsters aren't Union monsters! They can't join forces like my V-Tiger Jet and W-Wing Catapult can!"

"Not in the same way, but there exists a power that goes beyond mere Union and Contact Fusion," Misty revealed, playing her own part perfectly. "Some would say that it goes beyond the might of Synchro Summoning itself!"

"What's that?!" Chazz asked, eyes going wide. "Something stronger than...Synchro Summoning?! You lie!"

"I do not," she retorted, "and I'll prove it to you by using it now!"

 _"W-WHAT'S THIS?!"_ The MC shouted as he listened to their words. _"A POWER THAT GOES BEYOND SYNCHRO SUMMONING? C-COULD THIS BE THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA OF DUELING?! J-JUST WHAT SORT OF MONSTER IS SHE PLANNING ON BRINGING OUT?!"_

The lights in the stadium flickered, the workers playing their own role to perfection to cast dramatic lighting on Misty's form. As they did, she coiled inward, bending her knees for dramatic effect while reaching down toward her Extra Deck to grab the required card. As her fingers brushed against her Duel Disk's Extra Deck slot however, she paused.

"...?!" her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly glanced to her Duel Disk. "Eh?"

For a moment, she was silent.

"What's the matter?" Chazz asked, "Weren't you gonna summon a monster?"

"Yes, but, well..." Misty, the elegant Misty, found herself at a loss for words. "That is..."

Sensing an issue, the MC quickly scooted beside her warily.

"Hey," he whispered, keeping the mic away from his head so the audience wouldn't hear. "What's the issue? Hurry up and summon Gagagigo the Risen already!"

"There seems to be a mistake," Misty apologized, "The cards you've given me today...they, there's no Extra Deck amongst them."

"WHAT?!" The MC gasped, rearing around her to check the Duel Disk himself. "That's impossible! I know for a fact that I gave them to-" As if suddenly remembering something horrid, his eyes widened and snapped toward the young boy standing adjacent to them. "Yuma! What happened?! I thought I told you to put the Xyz monsters in her Extra Deck?!"

"Huh?" the boy blinked in surprise, as if hearing the words for the first time. "I thought you said I was supposed to throw them in _my_ Extra Deck!"

"You were only supposed to have Utopia, you braindead buffoon!" the MC roared, stamping over to the boy and grasping him by the shoulders. "If Misty doesn't have any in her Extra Deck, how's she supposed to summon them like we planned on, huh?!"

"Uh, well, I could always jut give her the one she's supposed to have-"

"-you fool! You can't do that in the middle of a Duel!" the MC bemoaned, "It's against the rules!"

"Hey," Konami called from the other side, "What's going on over there? Everything alright?"

"No!" the MC snapped, "Everything's ruined! The grand promotion, my great plans for an exciting Duel...! They've all been ruined, all because of this brat here!"

"Calm down," Misty replied, setting a comforting hand on the man's shoulder. "There's still time to fix this. Even if Yuma can't simply give me the Xyz monsters, we can still pull this off if he manages to Xyz Summon on his Turn."

"B-But the script!"

"Improvisation is key here," Misty explained to him, stepping back into her role as a Duelist. "If the script fails, then its up to the actors to carry on the show!"

"Y-Yeah! What she said!" Yuma agreed, fist pumping. "Don't worry boss, we'll get this job fixed up in no time!"

"W-Why you...this wouldn't have happened at all if you'd merely done what you were supposed to...!" the MC growled, but he knew there was no point in arguing further. The damage had already been done, and if they kept on for much longer, the crowd would begin to grow disinterested. "Fine! Just, whatever you do, make sure it looks good!"

"You needn't worry," assured Misty, spinning on her heel as she returned to her spot. "I always look good!"

The lights to the stadium flicked back on, and she instead reached back into her hand to draw another card.

"I activate the Continuous Spell _Level Limit - Area B_!" she shouted, sliding it into her back row. A hologram of the card rose from the ground behind Gagaga Magician, prompting both Chazz and Konami to stare at it in surprise.

"That card?" Konami asked, "But I thought that wasn't supposed to be used for another few turns?"

"Something must've gone wrong if she's not summoning her Xyz monster," Chazz scoffed. "Figures. This is why I never work with amateurs!"

"Level Limit - Area B's effect activates!" Misty continued, unimpeded. "While it's face-up on the field, all Level 4 or higher monsters are changed to Defense Mode!"

A flash of light accompanied her statement, and in seconds, all of her monsters had knelt down to signal their change in Battle Position. VW-Tiger Jet had also shifted, clamping down upon the arena floor with its landing pads as if seeking to ride out an approaching storm.

"Hmph, so what? You realized you couldn't beat me so you're trying to stall instead, huh?" Chazz asked.

Misty smiled, deciding to take the heat. "That's right. Unfortunately, I'd forgotten in the heat of the moment that to use this awesome power, my partner must be the one to do the summoning! All I have to do is last one more Turn, and the power capable of besting your monster will be revealed!"

"Tch, I get it." Chazz grumbled under his breath. "Looks like we'll be doing some improv, Red Hat!"

"Great," Konami sighed in response. "I always wanted to act on stage."

Falling into his own role, he quickly raised his Duel Disk to meet Misty's challenge.

"Oh?" he asked her loudly, speaking so that the audience could hear. "So you're planning on holding me at bay, are you? Unfortunately, I think you'll find that stopping me will be harder than you think! It's my Turn now," he roared, reaching into his Deck for his next card. "I draw!"

 **TURN FOUR - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**

 _'Alright,'_ he thought, glancing at the various cards Chazz loaned him for the purpose of showing off XYZ summoning. _'Originally she should have brought out Gagagigo the Risen, forcing me to try and fight back with some Union monsters, but if that's no longer the case...'_ his eyes gleamed as he stared at the cards, _'then I might as well go all in!'_

"To start things off," he began, "I'll draw a few more cards with the power of my Pot of Greed!"

"P-Pot of Greed?!" Yuma gasped in horror. "Not that card!"

"Yes," Konami chuckled darkly. "As one of the strongest cards in the game, Pot of Greed allows me to reach back into my Deck and pull out not one, but _two_ new cards that I'll be able to use to pummel you and your friend here into the dirt!"

"Truly a monstrous effect...!" Misty hissed.

Konami chuckled in agreement as he added the two cards to his hand. "Yes, it is. And now that I've finished drawing new cards, it's time I used them to destroy your field! I cast the mighty _Mystical Space Typhoon!_ This card will create a devastating whirlwind of power that will annihilate one Spell or Trap on your side of the Field! Naturally, the one I'll be targeting is the Level Limit that keeps our monsters in Defense Position!"

A fierce wind blew through the stadium as Konami used the card, prompting a deadly jet of energy to fling through Misty's defenses. With a shout, she raised her arms to shield herself as the hurricane-powered wind tore through her, shattering the Level Limit card she'd only just used. With it gone, the power locking their monsters into Defense Position was gone, allowing Konami to quickly change VW-Tiger Catapult back into Attack Mode.

"And now that I've done that," he continued once he was finished, "I can get to the real fun! I summon X-Head Cannon in Attack Mode!"

He slapped the card onto this Duel Disk with a grin, then watched as a blue robot with yellow shoulderpads and forearms rose from the card hologram. A pair of large, green cannons stretched out from beside its head, and they hummed with the power of mechanical warfare as they shifted up and down to get into position.

 _X-Head Cannon - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1800/1500)_

"X?" Yuma inquired warily.

"And you're about to see his buddy too, because now I'm activating the effect of Frontline Base!" Konami continued. "Like my partner here explained earlier, Frontline Base lets me Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Union monster from my hand. On that note, since X is already out, why don't we give a warm welcome to Y-Dragon Head!"

The mechanized screech of the metal dragon echoed across the field as it ascended from its card hologram, ready and willing to do battle under Konami's flag. Quickly moving to hover beside X-Head Cannon, it gaped its mechanical jaw to reveal the glowing cannon within, then screeched once more as Misty's monsters growled back in defiance.

 _Y-Dragon Head - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1500/1600)_

"Huh, it's a Y now?!" Yuma gasped.

"And there's more where that came from," Konami nodded. "In fact, you're about to see the final piece of the puzzle right now, after I activate VW-Tiger Catapult's special ability!"

"Its effect?" asked Misty.

"That's right," Konami smirked smugly. "By discarding a card from my hand, VW here lets me change the Battle Position of a monster! The card I choose to discard is...Z-Metal Tank!"

"There's a Z too?!"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Chazz groaned, shaking his head at Yuma's endless questions.

"And now that it's been discarded," Konami added, "VW-Tiger Catapult will force Jigabyte into Attack Position!"

Misty grimaced as the Tiger Jet did just that, releasting a wave of sonic sounds that seemed to infuriate the muscular reptile. Watching helplessly as Jigabyte began to growl, Misty could do nothing as her monster finally rose back to its full height, ready to unleash hell upon the machine that enraged it so.

"And now, with one last card, all the pieces will fall into place." Konami murmured, grinning at Misty's distress. "I cast _Double Spell!_ With this, I can discard a Spell from my hand to activate one in your Graveyard!"

"What?" Misty gasped, astonished.

"I discard my Brain Control card..." Konami revealed, sliding the card into his GY slot, "...to activate the Monster Reborn you used last Turn!"

"Oh no!" Yuma shouted, "I know where this is going!"

"You'd better, because now the last part of the alphabet is complete!" Konami roared, throwing his hand to the sky. "Come out, Z-Metal Tank!"

An eruption of power and energy burst from the arena floor as the stolen ankh unleashed its power. In seconds, a large yellow tank with a beady green eye revived from beyond, ready to roll tracks and fire lasers at all who opposed it and its companions. Together with VW-Tiger Catapult, Y-Dragon Head, and X-Head Cannon, they would prove to be an upstoppable force, greater than any monster that ever graced the name of Duel Monsters!

 _Z-Metal Tank - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1500/1300)_

Konami chuckled darkly. "Now, the time has finally come to show you the power of XYZ."

"What?" Yuma asked, staggering back in shock. He was supposed to be the one doing Xyz Summoning, not Konami!

"By banishing X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head, and Z-Metal Tank, their power is merged to create an upstoppable force!" Konami roared, clasping his hands together as the three named monsters began to shift together and change. Following the letters of their alphabet, X-Head Cannon landed on top of Y-Dragon Head, who in turn descended upon the back of Z-Metal Tank. Once they were fully merged, sparks of blue lightning roared out from within, announcing the surge of power that could take down some of Duel Monsters' most powerful cards! This new monster was the XYZ-Dragon Cannon, and it was ready to rock and roll.

 _XYZ-Dragon Cannon - LV8 - LIGHT - Machine - (2800/2600)_

 _'Hmph, ordinarily I would've attacked with all the monsters before doing this,'_ Konami thought, _'but we still have to sell Xyz Summoning so...I'll cut them some slack just this once! But that doesn't mean I'm content to do nothing!'_

"Battle!" Konami shouted, eyes narrowing as XYZ-Dragon Cannon and VW-Tiger Catapult sprung to life. "XYZ-Dragon Cannon attacks Jigabyte! Taste the power of the Alphabet, _XYZ Hyper Cannon!_ "

The sparks of lightning raining out from Dragon Cannon's form suddenly surged to life, condensing in the mouth of Y-Dragon Head as Z-Metal Tank and X-Head Cannon readied their own weapons. Firing all at once, their powers untied into a single stream of explosive power that ripped through the arena like a Burst Stream of Destruction! Misty's eyes widened as she watched the wave approach, but she could do nothing! Jigabyte was already rushing forward to meet the blast head-on, and with a great roar, he crashed into the beam and was annihilated instantly! A booming explosion rocked the room, shaking the floor and stands as a cloud of dust and debris shot up from the point of contact. Fire and smoke scattered throughout the arena, but there was no need to worry. The monsters, and the destruction caused by them, were all Solid Vision illusions. They caused no harm to the Duelists, save for the occasional shove brought by an extraordinary show of force.

As the dust settled, Misty and Yuma appeared from within unscathed, though their Life Points had taken quite the beating from the assault.

 _ **CHAZZ AND KONAMI - 4000 LP  
YUMA AND MISTY - 1500 LP**_

"And I'm not done yet," Konami murmured, "because now my VW-Tiger Catapult attacks your Gagagigo!"

Misty frowned as the second mechanized vehicle began to approach, soaring forward upon the blue wings of W-Wing Catapult. Green lightning crackled around the united machines, gathering in the open maw of the Tiger Jet's mouth which had opened to reveal a hidden cannon.

Eager to avenge its younger counterpart's demise, Gagagigo leapt forward to meet the approaching machine in midair combat, but that was a mistake. A single shot was all it took to fell the reptilian warrior, reducing Misty's monster count by one.

"But I won't take any damage!" Misty noted as the monster turned to ash. "Unlike my Jigabyte, my Gagagigo was still in Defense Position when you destroyed him!"

"Count yourself lucky," Konami growled, "but face it, against these two monsters you're basically finished!"

"Oh yeah?" Yuma retorted, stepping in for Misty, "If that's the case, then I just need to UN-finish us!"

"What?" Konami blinked.

"I'm saying it's my move, and you better prepare yourself, because I'm feeling the flow, big time!" Yuma shouted, "I...Draw!"

 _ **TURN FIVE - YUMA - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 1500 LP**_

He stared at his drawn card, his small smile erupting into a full-blown grin upon seeing which one it was.

"Alright! I summon Gagaga Girl in Attack Mode!"

A flash of light accompanied the summon of his monster, announcing the arrival of Gagaga Magician's prized apprentice. Wrapped in cloth of a similar color, her form was accented with a large pink ribbon that was tied around her waist. Long yet pointy blonde hair hung down from her head, encased in the same pointy cap that could be found on Gagaga Magician's own masked features. Smiling, Gagaga Girl span on her heel as she rose, then stretched out her hand which held a pink cellphone in its grasp. A pair of skull-shaped accesories hung from its case, completing her look as the dark but beautiful apprentice of the Dark Magician's successor.

 _Gagaga Girl - LV3 - DARK - Spellcaster - (1000/800)_

"Hmph, fool!" Chazz spat, "You summoned that thing in Attack Mode, and neither it nor your Gagaga Magician have what it takes to beat the VW-Tiger Catapult, much less the XYZ-Dragon Cannon!"

"He's right," Konami agreed. "You should just give up. You can't win!"

"Sorry guys, but I never give up!" Yuma shouted with a firm stare. "Feelin' the Flow means fighting till the very end!"

"Feeling the Flow?" Konami inquired.

"That's right, it's my motto!" Yuma said, rubbing the bridge of his nose eagerly. "It's about doing what can't be done. Like right now. I'm gonna find a way outta this!"

"You're wrong," Chazz replied smugly. "The only thing you're gonna find Yuma, is the bitter taste of disappointment! And you wanna know why? It's because we have two powerful monsters on the field while you have none!"

"It's fine," Misty told Yuma. "Having Gagaga Girl on the field with Gagaga Magician gives us a chance to turn this around."

"Huh?" Yuma asked, turning to stare at his partner curiously.

"Quickly," she urged him furiously. "Use her effect!"

"No need to tell me twice," he replied. "I was gonna do that anyway!"

With a grin, he swung his hand forward toward the blonde follower of darkness.

"I activate my Gagaga Girl's effect! When there's a Gagaga Magician on my field, her Level can rise to match his! You know what that means? I know have two Level Four monsters on the Field!"

"Senpai!" Gagaga Girl cheered politely while moving to stand beside the chain-wielding magician.

 _Gagaga Girl - LV4 - DARK - Spellcaster - (1000/800)_

"So what?" Konami asked. "Two Level Four monsters are no threat to me!"

"They will be soon, once I do a little Xyz Summoning, that is!" Yuma shouted.

"Xyz Summoning?" Konami asked, pretending not to know. "What's that?!"

"Why don't I show you?" Yuma answered. "I Overlay the Level Four Gagaga Magician and Gagaga Girl to construct the Overlay Network!"

Streaks of yellow and purple energy erupted before Yuma as he spoke, transforming his two Spellcasters into sphere of similar color. Together, they began to swirl upward toward the arena ceiling, creating a galaxy from which a new monster could emerge. And one would, right here, right now!"

"Here goes!" Yuma shouted, grasping a card from his Extra Deck and throwing it onto the field. "Xyz Summon! Rise on up, _Number 39: King of Wishes, Hope_ , or as I like to call him... _UTOPIA!_ "

The galaxy's power crashed full-force back onto the field, sending waves of wind and pressure in all directions. Chazz and Konami felt themselves being blown back, and quickly adjusted their stance to account for the fierce winds that threatened to throw them off their feet. As they did, the unmistakable form of Yuma's new monster cut through the chaos.

Clad in an awesome white armor accented with golden stripes, the gallant warrior spread out a pair of wings from its back and held its hands toward the sky. As it did, a pair of glowing blades fell into its palms, and it swung them down in a cross, before posing to face its foes.

 _Number 39: Utopia - RK4 - LIGHT - Warrior - (2500/2000)_

"I-Impossible!" Chazz sputtered, taking a step back in false surprise. "I've never seen a monster like this before!"

"Well, you're about to get a much closer look, because now my Gagaga Girl's effect activates!" Yuma explained. "When she's used for an Xyz Summon with nothing but other "Gagaga" monsters, I can target one monster on the field and reduce its Attack Points to Zero! You know what that means, your XYZ-Dragon Cannon's attack power is gone!"

"WHAT?!" Konami roared, eyes widening as he watched his machine suddenly sputter to a halt.

 _XYZ-Dragon Cannon - LV8 - LIGHT - Machine - (0/2600)_

"Alright, let's go, Utopia!" Yuma shouted, flipping backward and punching his fist forward dramatically. "It's time to show 'em what a real Xyz monster can do! Attack XYZ-Dragon Cannon! _Rising Sun Slash!_ "

Roaring to life through the words of its commander, Utopia leapt into the air while drawing one of its two glowing blades. Lifting the sword high above its head, it slowly began to descend upon Konami's Dragon Cannon. The glowing sword began to set its ablaze as the attack drew closer and closer to the sputtering machine, but just before Utopia could land and make contact, Konami's hand swung outward to put a stop to everything.

"Not so fast, Yuma!" he shouted, "I've got a Trap, or rather, my partner does!"

"What?!" Chazz gawked, glancing to Konami in shock.

What was he doing? Hadn't he known that that had been the perfect opportunity to take the hit and roll in the dough?!

Yes.

But despite knowing the Duel was nothing more than an event promoting Xyz monsters and the concept of a show dubbed Duel Monsters Zexal, Konami's raging Duelist Soul had been ignited at the sight of Number 39. This was his first chance to face an opponent wielding another Xyz monster since the chaos at the Transcend Tournament, and he wasn't about to let it slip through his fingers! Besides, they had already gone off script. All that mattered was that the cards sold. To be frank, who won and who lost really didn't matter, so long as Xyz monsters were involved.

And when it came to Xyz monsters...no one was better prepared to use them than Konami. Before that, however, he needed to put a stop to Yuma's attack, and as he'd already said, Chazz had just the card!

"I activate Negate Attack!" Konami shouted, activating the Trap to erupt a barrier between Utopia and XYZ-Dragon Cannon.

It sprung up just in time, blocking Utopia's Rising Sun Slash and sending the monster staggering backward in surprise.

"What?!" Yuma gasped, taking a step forward with wide eyes. "Utopia's attack...it was stopped?!"

"That's what Negate Attack does," Konami explained. "When you declare an attack, it will negate it, and bring the Battle Phase to a swift and sudden end."

"Aw man, but I really had you there for a second!" Yuma complained,

"Better luck next time, I guess." He replied.

Growling, Yuma clenched his fist and grabbed three more cards. "Yeah, well...you might've stopped my attack, but don't forget that now Utopia's the strongest one on the field! Since Gagaga Girl put a stop to your Dragon Cannon's firepower, that means the only other monster you can face him with is your Tiger Catapult, and it's five hundred points short of a tie!"

"Perhaps, but that won't matter once my partner's Turn rolls around." Konami countered.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," Konami reaffirmed with a nod.

"Tsk, in that case, I'll just have to lay down a few preparations!" Yuma shouted. "I play three face-down cards and end my Turn!"

 _"A-AMAZING!"_ the MC shouted from the sidelines, screaming into his mic. _"DESPITE THIS REMARKABLE NEW MONSTER FROM YUMA, IT SEEMS KONAMI WAS READY WITH A TRAP OF HIS OWN! AS THIS HIGH-PACED BATTLE PICKS UP MORE AND MORE, WILL THERE BE ANY WAY OF TELLING WHO WILL COME OUT ON TOP?!"_

"Damn it, Red Hat. I was hoping to get this over with quick," Chazz grunted, scratching the back of his neck in annoyance. "Utopia was supposed to destroy Dragon Cannon and send us into defensive plays until Misty finished us off! Now you've got me lookin' like a fool over here with no idea what to do."

"Oh come on, don't act like throwing the Duel wouldn't leave a bad taste in your mouth," Konami replied. "Besides, now that all the script cards are gone, all we have to do is duel normally, right? XYZ or no XYZ, now that Utopia's on the field, we can just go all out like usual without any fear of the repercussions! Er, assuming you don't go making the Duel too one-sided, that is."

"Hmph, like the Chazz would have trouble dealing with these losers." Chazz barked. He folded his arms, studying the field with a glare. "Alright, fine! I'll play along with your scheme this time, but don't come crying to me if we get in trouble because of it!"

"Sweet! Let's do this, Chazz! Light 'em up!"

"Don't mind if I do." He grinned, "It's my Turn, I draw!"

 _ **TURN SIX - CHAZZ - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"And now, it's time I showed you how a true user of the XYZ archetype battles!"

"Huh? Battles?" Yuma asked, "But you can't! Neither of your monsters have the strength to match Utopia!"

"Which is why I'll just have to merge them," Chazz explained. "I banish my XYZ-Dragon Cannon and VW-Tiger Catapult to Fusion Summon the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!"

Piece by piece, the five monsters that made up Dragon Cannon and Tiger Catapult separated, shifting gears once more as their ultimate form drew near. Splitting into two separate sections, W-Wing Catapult suddenly rose upward, transforming into what appeared to be a set of tall, mechanical legs. Y-Dragon Head quickly swooped in on top of it, forming the waist of what was quickly resembling a mighty mech as its wings shot off for later use. As Y-Dragon Head's draconic face turned downward to settle in its new position, X-Head Cannon attached itself to its top, shifting its cannons outward to serve as the mech's main source of attack. Together, the two blasters stretched out from the machine's chest, making room for X-Head Cannon's arms to reach out and grab the split wheels of Z-Metal Tank. V-Tiger Jet attached itself on top of Head Cannon as the machine lifted the wheels, and as it finally rose to its full height, the machine felt the soaring wings of Y-Dragon Head attach to its back, completing the transformation. Its new form complete, the ultimate mech lifted its weapons and posed, just in time for an explosion of electrical energy to run through its body, powering the frame.

 _VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon - LV8 - LIGHT - Machine - (3000/2800)_

"A-Amazing!" Yuma shouted, "It's like...some kind of Duel Monsters Megazord!"

"Impressed, are you?" Chazz asked with a smirk. "Well, it's about to get even more impressive once I use its effect!"

"Huh?" Yuma asked, blinking in surprise.

"Hmph, say bye-bye to Utopia, because it'll be the last time you see him once this effect goes through!" Chazz revealed. "Dragon Catapult Cannon activates! Once per Turn, I can target one card on the field and banish it!"

"Wait, say what?!" Yuma gawked.

"That effect seems rather troublesome," Misty admitted with a wince.

"It should," Chazz roared, "because it's about to blow your field away! Go, Dragon Catapult Cannon! Send Utopia to the next dimension with your _Ultimate Destruction!_ "

Brimming to life, Dragon Catapult Cannon lifted its twin cannons toward Number 39: Utopia and began to charge. Lightning and fire seemed to blaze around the barrels as power channeled into their forms, and before anyone could say or do anything, the mech fired, unleashing a beam of explosive light! It raced across the field violently, tearing away at the air that filled the space as it surged closer and closer to its target! Just as it was about to crash into Yuma's new Xyz monster, however, the boy's skinny hand shot out to deflect it!

"Hold it right there!" he shouted as he did, "I've got a Trap card, _Xyz Reflect!_ "

"WHAT?!" Chazz roared, eyes widening at the announcement.

A hologram representing the declared card lifted up on Yuma's side of the field, and in an instant, a shimmering barrier had formed around Utopia, protecting it from the approaching blast.

"Xyz Reflect is a card I can only use when my opponent activates a Spell, Trap, or monster effect that targets an Xyz monster I control! When you do, this card will negate the activation of your card, bouncing your attack back right to you and destroying your card while inflicting eight hundred points of damage!"

"Destroying my card?" Chazz gasped, taking a step back, "But this is my VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!"

"Well, now it's being taken out like the trash!" Yuma replied. "Bounce the wave back, Xyz Reflect! _Shimmering Seal!_ "

Without a word, the barrier constructed around Utopia absorbed the oncoming wave in a flash of light, then fired it right back where it came. Dragon Catapult Cannon could do nothing but watch as its own attack came soaring back toward it, and in seconds, it was hit, exploding in a shower of deadly sparks! Piece by broken piece, the components of the mighty Dragon Cannon fell to the ground and shattered like glass. Before long, only the main body remained standing, and Chazz looked up at it in horror as it began to tilt back.

"No..." he whispered, watching the shadow of the falling mech loom above him. "No, no... No, no, no, no, no, no, NOOOOOOOOO!"

With a thud, the mech's body fell upon Chazz, shattering like glass upon impact and leaving him traumatized for life.

 _ **CHAZZ AND KONAMI - 3200 LP  
YUMA AND MISTY - 1500 LP**_

"Alright!" Yuma cheered, hi-fiving the sky with a grin. "Finally, I hit you guys!"

"Chazz!" Konami shouted, turning to face the shattering Dragon Catapult Cannon, "Are you alright over there?"

"Ugh..." Chazz grunted, shaking his head as he climbed back to his feet. "What kind of stupid question is that? Do I look fine, Red Hat?"

"Well, you're still all grumpy like usual so, yeah?"

"Shut it!" he snapped back angrily. "I'm not done yet! In fact, I haven't even gotten started!"

"Uh, you sure about that?" Yuma asked from the other side, "I mean...you've kinda lost your big monster!"

"Maybe, but that's only one of them," Chazz revealed. "I'll get the other...using my Ojamas."

Seeing the smug grin starting to form on his face, Konami could only whisper two small, frail words.

" _Oh no..."_

"I activate Ojamatch!" Chazz shouted, throwing the card face-up on his Duel Disk. "With this, I can discard one Ojama to add a different Ojama and an "Armed Dragon" monster to my hand! I discard Ojama Green to add Ojama Yellow and Armed Dragon LV5 to my hand!"

 _"Oh, wowie, boss!"_ Ojama Yellow cheered upon being drawn, " _I can't wait to see what you're gonna pull this time!"_

Ignoring him, Chazz continued his plan.

"Next, I'll activate the second effect of my Ojamatch! Once I've added the chosen cards to my hand, I can Normal Summon one of them in addition to my regular Normal Summon or Set. I bring out Ojama Yellow!"

He tossed the card onto his Duel Disk, scowling as the small yellow beast rose up to stare down the much larger Utopia before it.

 _Ojama Yellow - LV2 - LIGHT - Beast - (0/1000)_

" _W-Whoa!"_ Ojama Yellow screeched, eyes bulging in fright. It stumbled back onto its rear as it stared at Utopia, horrified by the white warrior's large and imposing figure. _"B-Boss, what are you doing?! I can't face that thing!"_

"Uh, you lose a few brain cells in that crash?" Yuma asked, unknowingly agreeing with the monster. "I mean, that monster of yours is a Normal-type, and it has Zero Attack Points!"

"That's just fine, because I won't be needing him for long!" Chazz revealed. "Like I said, Ojamatch let me Normal Summon him in _addition_ to my regular Normal Summon, which means that by Tributing him here and now...I can bring out the other card I added to my hand, the Armed Dragon LV5!"

 _"Oh, thank goodness- wait, no!"_ Ojama Yellow screeched shattering into golden light just in time for the much larger Armed Dragon to materialize. Letting out a puff of smoke as its chubby and armored form emerged from its card hologram, the spiked dragon loosed a deadly roar that prompted Utopia to take on a more imposing stance.

 _Armed Dragon LV5 - LV5 - WIND - Dragon - (2400/1700)_

"Now that's more like it!" Yuma cheered, grinning at the monster's impressive stats. "It's still no match for Utopia, but it's definitely something!"

"And it's about to become something more, because I'll be evolving it with my Level Up! Spell card!" Chazz shouted.

On cue, steam began to burn away LV5's excess fat, transitioning the monster from a chubby youth into a lean, powerful young adult. Snarling as the last of its red flesh was filled with strong, powerful muscle, the newly born Armed Dragon LV7 roared, ready to take on all of Chazz's foes.

 _Armed Dragon LV7 - LV7 - WIND - Dragon - (2800/1000)_

Yuma's eyes went wide. "Uh oh!" he shouted, not having expected that.

Of course, Chazz wasn't done just yet. He still had one further step to complete, one last move that would secure his victory over Yuma and Misty!

"Now that I've got Armed Dragon LV7 on the field, all the pieces are in place..." He chuckled softly.

Beside him, Konami let out a knowing sigh.

"Here we go," he murmured quietly, shaking his head at Chazz's eagerness.

"I banish my Armed Dragon LV7 and the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon in my Graveyard!" Chazz roared.

"What's this? Another effect?" Misty inquired curiously.

"Not an effect," Chazz revealed, "but a Summoning Condition."

Misty's eyes widened at the revelation.

"A...Summoning Condition you say?" she asked, "For what?"

For this!" Chazz roared, raising his hand above his head. "Come forth, _Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon!_ "

A single streak of light crashed down upon his Armed Dragon LV7's form, announcing the arrival of the once destroyed Dragon Catapult Cannon. Shifting form once again, the five monsters that the mech was comprised of parted to make way for a new addition, one borne not of metal, but of hot, red flesh. The wheels of Z-Metal Tank attached themselves to Armed Dragon's hands, forming metal boxing gloves the dragon could use to pound its foes to pieces. Across its torso, the head of Y-Dragon Head formed a new seal of armor, while the arms of X-Head Cannon stretched out to provide another means of attack. Y's Wings had become new accessories on the great spikes growing from the back of Armed Dragon's shoulders, while VW-Tiger Catapult had attached itself to the tail, providing extra propulsion when fast moves were needed. With this new set-up, the ultimate power of Chazz Princeton had been reached. His two strongest monsters stood together as one, ready to annihilate all of his foes in a single glorious turn! Complete at last, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon stood on its hind legs and _roared_ , ready to fight...to the death.

 _Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon - LV10 - LIGHT - Machine - (3500/3000)_

"N-No way..." Yuma gawked, taking an unconscious step backward as he gazed at the monster. "That's...so strong!"

"Much stronger than your Utopia," Chazz said with a grin. "And now, it's time to prove it. Go, Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon! Destroy Utopia with your _Ultimate Armed Destruction!_ "

Screaming, the mechanized Armed Dragon pointed everything forward and _fired_ , unleashing a wave of spikes, gunfire, lasers and deadly burst streams that would make the army itself blush. Yuma let out a scream of surprise as the onslaught of attacks neared. What could he possibly do against such a foe? He was totally outmatched!

"Yuma!" Misty shouted, "Quickly now, use Utopia's effect!"

"Ah, that's right!" Yuma breathed, grinning as he remembered he wasn't alone. He had Utopia with him, which meant... "I'm negating that attack!"

"What?!" Chazz shouted.

"Utopia's effect activates! By detaching one of the monsters I used to summon it, its ability will kick in, allowing me to negate a monster attack!"

One of the shining orbs swirling around Utopia vanished as Yuma spoke, allowing Utopia to utilize its effect to its fullest ability. Standing in front of Yuma as Armed Dragon's attack neared, it swung its wings inward, creating a Light Wing Shield that could deflect virtually anything! A booming explosion rocked the arena as the surge of attacks landed upon Utopia's form, but as the smoke cleared, the monster was revealed to be completely unscathed, as was Yuma behind it!

"Oh, yeah!" the boy shouted, leaping to the sky in joy as he watched Utopia defend him. "That's what I'm talkin' about! Utopia's the best!"

"Grr...!" Chazz glowered, evidently thinking otherwise. "Tsk, you might've gotten around my attack, but I doubt you'll get around its effect. I'll throw one card face-down and end my Turn."

"Then yet again, that makes it my move," Misty declared. "Perhaps the last one, if this is all you came up with."

"What was that?" Chazz growled.

Misty merely smiled, content to show him through words rather than actions.

"It's my move," she reiterated, reaching for her Deck. "I draw!"

 _ **TURN SEVEN - MISTY - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1500 LP**_

"Ha, you fell for it, fool!" Chazz shouted. "I activate Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's effect: Thunder Cross Split Attack!"

"What?!" Misty gasped.

"During your Turn, I can banish one card from my Deck or Extra Deck face-up and banish all cards you control, along with those in your Graveyard!" Chazz revealed with a cocky grin. "The card I choose to banish is the YZ-Tank Dragon in my Extra Deck!"

He revealed the declared card before sliding it into his Banished Zone, prompting his Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon to raise its weapons once more.

"Looks like you're the one who came up short," Chazz mocked, " _Bye-Bye._ "

And his monster fired, casting the arena into a void of white. There was no smoke, no debris or plume of destructive power. Only the field and those upon it, forced to bear witness to Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon's immense power.

At least, that's what was supposed to happen. Reality, however, often disappoints.

"I activate Imperial Iron Wall!" Misty shouted at the last moment, flinging one of Yuma's Traps face-up to meet Chazz's angered shout.

"Wait, no! Not that card!" he roared.

"I'm afraid so," Misty explained, the light of Armed Dragon's attack fading as Iron Wall's effect took hold. "Now neither of our teams will be able to banish cards, meaning that the effect of your Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon, along with those of the other XYZ cards you control that banish monsters...are null and void!"

"Damn," Konami said with a wince. "She got you, huh?"

"S-Shut up!" Chazz spat.

"Hmph, how crude." Misty noted, "If silence was all you wanted, then there are better ways to ask for it, such as this; the Continuous Spell _Burden of the Mighty!_ It reduces the Attack of all monsters you control by a hundred points for each of their Levels! Since that Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon of yours seems to be Level 10, well...I'm sure you understand where I'm going."

"Urgh," Chazz grunted, glaring as the woman's card materialized on the field.

The moment it did, a fierce of wave of gravity seemed to hit Armed Dragon, weighing it down and preventing it from using its full strength. Its body slumped over as if it were struggling to stand, though its eyes seemed to glow even brighter as if becoming more ferocious as a result.

 _Armed Dragon Catapult Cannon - LV10 - LIGHT - Machine - (2500/3000)_

"Damn it, so you lowered my monster's Attack Points, but not by enough!" Chazz roared. "Since the Attack Points are still even, that means that even if you attack, your Utopia will be destroyed too!"

"Oh man, he's right!" Yuma complained, "What're we going to do, Misty?"

She smiled, "You needn't worry about that, for just as I've used a card to lower _your_ monster's Attack Points...so too will I use one to raise my own! I activate the Field Spell - _Xyz Territory!_ With this, all Xyz Monsters on the field gain two hundred Attack and Defense Points for each Rank when they battle! As our Utopia is a Rank 4 monster, that means it will gain eight hundred Attack and Defense Points! More than enough to overcome your ultimate beast!"

 _Number 39: Utopia - RK4 - LIGHT - Warrior - (3300/2800)_

"No..." Chazz breathed, staring at the glowing Utopia in shock, "This...this can't be!"

"Go, Utopia! Attack with your _Rising Sun Slash!_ " Misty declared, spurring the monster to action.

Unleashing a mighty battle cry, the white warrior unsheathed its twin blades and brought them crashing down upon Armed Dragon in a jagged cross. The mechanized dragon screeched in pain as it staggered back, body shimmering as if it were about to blow.

"N-Not again!" Chazz shouted frantically, but it was too late. With one last horizontal swing, Utopia cleaved Armed Dragon apart, shattering the monster in a blazing explosion that sent Chazz skidding to the edge of the arena.

 _ **CHAZZ AND KONAMI - 2400 LP  
YUMA AND MISTY - 1500 LP**_

"D-Damn it all!" Chazz screamed, barely holding on as the pressure tried to blow off away. "Y-You haven't won yet! And don't forget, since the Battle's over, Utopia's Attack and Defense Points fall back to normal too!"

"You're right, but that won't matter if Misty uses my Trap card!" Yuma told him, earning a nod from the woman.

"If that's what you want, very well!" she agreed. Smiling, she glanced back toward Konami and Chazz, knowing that with this last attack, the event would be a resounding success. "You've heard about Feeling the Flow, but now, it's time to Hi-Five the Sky. I activate the Trap card, _Hi-Five the Sky!_ When its played, an Xyz monster that's made an attack this turn can do so once again! Go, Utopia! Attack Chazz directly, and end this Duel!"

"N-Not so fast!" Chazz shouted, swinging his hand forward as the Number approached for a second go. "If that's how it's gonna be, then I'm activating my Trap card!"

"It's too late for that!" Yuma cheered, grinning at the look on Chazz's face. "The cool thing about Hi-Five the Sky is that once the monster it's been used on attacks, you can't activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step!"

"Say What?!"

"Tsk," Konami sighed, tilting his head downward. "You blew it, Chazz."

"Let's go, Utopia!" Yuma repeated, "Finish them off with your _Rising Sun Slash!_ "

And so, the Promotional Duel came to an end.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER TWENTY - END**_

* * *

 _"I can't believe you let me lose!"_

 _As the Event draws to an end, Konami finds himself comforting Chazz during the reception. But as evening draws near, his mind keeps drifting back to what Misty had told him. Deciding to confront her once and for all, he prepares to unveil the secrets she hides!_

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Walk it! The Path of Darkness!**_

 _"DARKNESS CHANGE!"_

* * *

 _ **Was it too much? Not enough? Let me know down below!**_


	21. Walk it! The Path of Darkness!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"Get set to get decked, 'cause it's my move! I draw!"_

 _As the Xyz Promotion Duel begins, Yuma and Chazz quickly set the stage for a quick but exciting battle! As Misty prepares to unveil the new technique, however, an unfortunate situation arises!_

 _"You were only supposed to have Utopia, you braindead buffoon!"_

 _Yuma, in his eagerness to call forth Xyz monsters, forgot to load Misty's Extra Deck with the required cards! As a result, she is forced to adapt, transforming the once well-scripted Duel into an Improvisation Battle! Despite these setbacks however, the time for the debut still comes! Caught between Konami's XYZ-Dragon Cannon and Chazz's VW-Tiger Catapult, Yuma trusts in the heart of the cards and successfully Xyz Summons, calling forth Number 39: Utopia! Aided by its power, he and Misty manage to overcome the might of even Chazz's most powerful monster, and ensure the shining age of Xyz monsters will come to exist! Now, as the Duel winds down, what new trial awaits Red Hat Konami? Prepare to find out!_

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER TWENTY ONE**_

* * *

 _ **Walk it! The Path of Darkness!**_

* * *

The Duel was over.

Gone were the vibrant explosions and flashes of light, the massive monsters that battled, and the glowing number holograms that displayed not only monster stats, but point totals to help show who was winning as well. They had vanished with the final attack, obliterated alongside the last of the Life Points wielded by Konami and Chazz.

Yuma's monster, the mighty Number 39: Utopia, stood alone on the field; victorious in its battle against adversity and hate. He alone had proven the mettle of his kind, and his stance accompanied that fact. The glowing blade used to inflict the final strike was raised high above his head, pointing directly toward the ceiling, as the monster were trying to say it was Number One, the strongest in the world! Given its use during the Duel, anyone would be hard pressed to say or prove otherwise.

"A-Alright!" Yuma cheered, his shout bringing back the sense of sound to an otherwise silent arena. "We did it, Misty! We won!"

As if spurred on by his words, the audience roared in agreement, clapping and cheering for the pair as Utopia finally began to vanish from the scene.

 _"WHAT A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE!"_ the MC roared above the noise. _"AFTER AN AMAZING TURN, MISTY TREDWELL HAS DONE IT, FOLKS! THE TRUTH IS NOW PLAIN FOR ALL TO SEE; THE FUTURE OF XYZ IS HERE, ARMED IN THE HANDS OF NUMBER 39: UTOPIA!"_

He stretched out the last word for dramatic effect, grinning as the cheer sent the crowd into another frenzy of applause.

"Damn it," Konami sighed, shaking his head at their failure. "You blew it, Chazz! Had I gotten just one more Turn, I could've..."

Could've what? Won the Duel? Certainly, the power of his Deck could have potentially overwhelmed the new Xyz monster, but then what? The Duel was meant to serve as a promotion for the new summoning mechanic, and it wasn't as if he could've used his own. While it was true there was nothing to stop him from doing so, it would've brought too much attention to himself; attention he didn't need. So, forgetting his fury at being cheated out of a Duel, he instead opted to cut himself off before he said something he'd regret. Besides, he still needed Chazz to fly him to Nazca. If he got the man too angry, who was to say that Chazz simply wouldn't ditch him there?

No.

He couldn't upset Chazz over something as foolish as this. As a matter of fact, he shouldn't upset himself over it either. If the crowd's cheering was any indication, then it meant the Duel had been a success. Even if he and Chazz had lost the Duel, this had been a win. There was no need to beat himself, much less Chazz, up over it. They'd done what they'd set out to do, and the world was none the worse off for it.

All that was left now was to relish in their humiliation alongside the esteemed victors of the event, and make a quick getaway when the time was ripe. Unfortunately, such a time was far off.

Following the conclusion of the match, he and the other Duelists were whisked away to adjacent reception hall, where they'd been forced to answer question after question of trivial importance.

"How do you keep your locks so luscious, Misty?"

"How come you didn't use your Ojama King, Chazz?"

"Hey red dude, what's with the hat?"

"You're supposed to be the new main character right? What's up with that catchphrase, Yuma?"

For hours on end, they'd been put on a stage and thrown to the wolves, while their gracious host entertained his more elegant and important clients. For a time, Konami was just about ready to end it all. He had far better ways to waste his time than stand around answering pointless questions, and beside the first person, no one had seen fit to ask him much anything at all. It didn't really come as a surprise to him, but it was still rather off-putting. Compared to famous individuals like Chazz and Misty, he was practically a nobody, something everybody there was more than eager to remind him of.

 _"Aw,"_ the Shadow hissed in his ear during the reception, _"What's the matter? Mad that you aren't the center of attention anymore? We can change that."_

Konami grimaced, ignoring the voice trickling through his mind. He couldn't deal with it right now, not when so many people were there! Unfortunately, he had no say over what Wiraqocha Rasca did or didn't do. As if drunk off of his earlier negativity, not to mention the rising discomfort he felt due to the ongoing interview, its influence spread through Konami. Stretching out from his Deck holster, its power coursed through him like a lightning bolt, spreading up his leg, through his torso, and down his arm.

A familiar sensation began to burn within him. It was like a million ants were biting away at a small portion of his flesh, or as if someone had taken a tub of acid and thrown it down on his arm. The moment it started, he recognized the pain for what it was.

His Mark of the Shadows was burning.

Quickly, he thrust his arm inward, wrapping it beneath his other one in an attempt to conceal its pale purple glow. A few faces glanced at him curiously from the sudden motion, but it seemed none of them had noticed anything untoward. Still, he couldn't help but worry. If even one person in the room saw what was essentially a glowing tattoo, then it would raise all kinds of questions he really didn't want to answer. Worse, it would draw attention away from the true purpose of the event, and potentially ruin all the effort everyone had put in to ensure the reveal of Xyz monsters went off without a hitch!

In short, it could cause another scandal, and that simply wasn't something Konami could afford.

Growling as he tried to force his power to kneel beneath his will, he tucked his arm further inward, crushing it between the weight of his stomach and other arm. A few wary looks continued to glance at him from time to time, but he couldn't be bothered with them. Keeping his power a secret was far more important, at least while he had yet to control its dark and mysterious power!

"Hey, get a grip already," Chazz murmured from beside him. "In case you haven't noticed, we're kind of in the middle of something here."

 _"Yes,"_ the Shadow agreed, its whisper coming from just behind him. _"Do get ahold of yourself. It'd be such a shame if you were to let something...slip."_

"Shut up...!" Konami hissed in reply, only to earn a scowl from Chazz in response.

"What'd you just say?"

"Not you, Chazz," Konami said quickly, "I was just-"

 _"Yes,"_ the Shadow encouraged, _"Do tell him who you were talking to. Tell him all about me, right here, right now, while everyone is watching!"_

"D-Damn it!" Konami cursed, rising to his feet amongst a crowd of sudden shouts and jeers. Without answering any of their ensuing questions, he turned on his heel and ran from the table, headed down the hall toward somewhere, anywhere, he could find some privacy! He knew it looked ridiculous, but he didn't care. He had to get away from it all so he could gather his thoughts; somewhere safe so he could ensure his power didn't take control!

With a curse, he slammed into the first restroom he found, releasing his hold on his arm the moment he saw the lavatory was empty. No longer hidden beneath his jacket and dark red sleeve, the Condor Mark lit up the room, encasing it all in its dark pale glow.

"Damn you!" he cursed, slamming his hands on one of the sinks as he faced the mirror. "What do you want from me?!"

 _"I want you to give in,"_ the Shadow explained, appearing in the mirror as a flickering, shifting image of Konami's own reflection. _"To take your place amongst the shadows. To be who you were meant to be!"_

Before long, the reflection had changed completely. Instead of Konami's own appearance, it had changed into a dark, twisted counterpart. Red lines streaked across his face and arms, and the black robes of the Dark Signer sat comfortably around his shoulders.

 _"You cannot escape your destiny. So why not just give in? Douse this world in ruin, and spread the influence of the greatest Earthbound Immortal so that we may take our place as the true rulers of this world!"_

"I refuse!" he answered. "The Dark Signers' role as evil incarnate has come to an end! Their power will be used as I see fit, I won't have you causing another war!"

 _"As you see fit?"_ the twisted reflection snarled. _"Do you truly think you can deny me? I am more than just Wiraqocha Rasca's influence! I am all that you could be! I know your darkest secrets, your greatest desires! What you seek will never be gained, not while you still deny the very essence of what we Dark Signers well and truly are!"_

"ENOUGH!" Konami roared, slamming his fist against the mirror. It cracked upon impact, shattering the reflection into a broken and distorted image.

 _"Resist all you like,"_ it said with a fading grin. _"In the end, there's no escaping your destiny."_

With another growl, Konami raised his fist to strike again, but before he could - there was a knock on the door.

"Kodo-kun?" Misty's voice rolled through the door as if it weren't even there. "May I come in?"

Calming his breath, Konami nodded. After realizing that she wouldn't have seen it, he promptly masked his mistake with a quick "Yes" and turned to face the door as she strode in.

"I thought it prudent someone checked on you," she explained as she shut the door behind her. She took a long moment drowning in the state of the room, particularly that of the mirror Konami had smashed to pieces. "I presume that was a result of your...episode...as well?"

Flushing with embarrassment, Konami nodded slowly while steadying himself on the sink's edge.

"I..." His words caught in his throat, and he searched for a suitable explanation to explain what had happened. "Wiraqocha Rasca...it tried to influence me again."

"I suspected as much," Misty replied honestly. "The moment you fled, it was clear you were trying to obscure something from view."

"My Mark was glowing," he explained. "I didn't want anyone to see."

"Why?"

The question caught Konami off-guard. He shook his head for a moment, then gave the answer that made the most sense to him.

"Because, I didn't want to expose what I was."

Misty hummed thoughtfully, a self-satisfied smile coming across her lips as she folded her arms and leaned back against the bathroom door.

"I must admit," she told him, "I had presumed as much. However, in the future, you would do well to keep your surroundings in mind, even in stressful situations such as these. You'll find that they may provide alternative solutions to problems that could cause a less...explosive...reaction from the crowd."

"What?"

"I'll provide an example," Misty stated, still smiling. "In this case, for instance, the event serves not only as a promotion for the rise of Xyz monsters, but for Duel Monsters Zexal as well. With that in mind, you could have easily written off any light your Mark produced as a malfunctioning or ill-timed prop for the show. While it might have taken a little convincing, had you been able to persuade them of such a fact, you could have left the table without startling everyone. In other words, there was no need for you to run off and cause a scene as you did."

The moment Misty's words reached his ears, Konami felt embarrassment and shame well up within him. Had he really been so stupid? Had he - in his panic - simply made the situation worse by running off like a fool?

"I'm sorry," he apologized, scratching the back of his neck worriedly. "I-I didn't think-"

"-You needn't apologize," Misty interrupted. "I understand your worries, as well as why you acted as you did. Fortunately for you, I am well-versed in the handling of such people. The moment you fled, I weaved an intricate tale that your friend Princeton-san was more than willing to back up. As far as anyone else is concerned, your breakfast simply didn't sit right with you."

"My breakfast?"

Misty smiled at him pointedly, and suddenly, it clicked.

"You told them I had a stomachache," he realized. "To make them think I had a logical reason for leaving the way I did."

"When nature calls, the body must answer," Misty explained helpfully.

Konami sighed at her light and easy tone, acknowledging the joke for what it was. Still, her presence gave him an opportunity, and he'd be a fool not to use it.

"And what about your nature?" he asked her, cutting through her teasing to get straight to the point. "Are you all that you appear to be? Or are you just a mask worn by Ccarayhua, waiting for the right moment to pounce?"

"So you recall the name of my Earthbound Immortal," Misty said, letting her arms hang by her side, "Impressive."

"Hardly," he disagreed. "When I woke up with my Mark, I made a point to go back over all the information I had regarding the Dark Signers. Something as simple as that isn't worth praising."

"Then shall I praise your resilience instead?" she asked. "It takes quite the will to deny an Immortal. You, however, seem to have made a habit of doing so. I can almost _feel_ Wiraqocha Rasca's frustration with you. Despite the negative emotions flowing through you, you've yet to get in to its crude and obstinate advances. It's quite entertaining, really."

"Well, I"m glad my suffering is so amusing to you."

"Forgive me," Misty apologized, her smile soft and gentle. "I meant no offense."

Again, Konami sighed.

"Just answer my question," he told her, folding his arms. "Are you really Misty or are you just a meat puppet for her Immortal?"

"If I said I was the latter, what would you do?" Misty inquired.

Konami froze, his muscles tensing beneath the sleeves of his jacket as he mulled over her words.

"Are you?" he pressed, only for her to shake her head in reply.

"Ah, ah, ah..." she said while she did, "I believe I'm the one asking questions now. If I were under the influence of Ccarayhua, what would you do? Would you duel me? Attempt to defeat me in hopes of freeing my soul? Please, I'm honestly curious."

"I'd duel you," Konami replied. "And I'd beat you."

"Like you did Carly?"

The reminder of their battle, and more importantly the damage they'd caused during it, froze Konami in his tracks.

"Not like Carly," he assured after a moment. "I'd face you in an isolated place, where our power wouldn't be able to hurt anyone."

"So you _are_ capable of learning," Misty hummed. "Good."

"Good?" Konami asked.

"I told you we'd talk later, and we will. Tonight, at Castle Nuovo." Misty explained.

Castle Nuovo. Konami recalled it being mentioned by Jasmine and Mindy when they were discussing potential tourist spots. From what he remembered about their conversation, the castle was built back in 1279, serving as the seat of royalty for many Kings in the time long past. The more important takeaway, however, was the fact that the castle stood within walking distance of their hotel. Serving as a popular spot for visitors and history buffs, it was in the perfect place for Konami and Misty to have their chat, especially when he considered that it'd likely be deserted after dark - likely the reason why Misty had chosen it as the place of their destined conversation in the first place.

"Tonight," Konami agreed after a long moment, realizing that a bathroom in a highly populated area probably wasn't the best place to confront another Dark Signer. "What time?"

"Two hours before midnight," Misty replied. That should give us ample time to speak and get back with no one the wiser."

"Ten it is, then." He agreed, brushing his knuckles to ensure there was no bleeding leftover from punching the glass. Once he was satisfied, he turned to head out the door. Misty accompanied him, standing aside to provide access to the exit. He swung the door open, intent on being polite and letting her walk out first...only to find himself gazing into the wide, stunned eyes of Yuma Tsukumo.

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!" the boy shouted, his gaze locked more on Misty than Konami. It was expected. After all, Konami had gone into the men's restroom, and Misty didn't exactly fit the description.

"W-What's going on here?!" Yuma asked, snapping his hand toward the pair accusingly. "Girls aren't allowed in the boy's restroom, it's forbidden!"

"Even in emergencies?" Misty asked politely, her usual gentle smile coming back across her face.

"Huh? Emergency?!" Yuma wondered aloud, eyes narrowing. "What sort of-?"

"I think Misty explained it to you all earlier," Konami interrupted. "Had a pretty bad stomachache, it's settled down thanks to Misty giving me some stuff though."

"Huh, a stomachache? You mean _that's_ the reason you ran off all of a sudden like that?"

"You weren't paying attention?" Misty inquired.

"Nah, when I wasn't answering questions I was busy playing games on my phone!" Yuma laughed. "Man, I'm so glad that stuff is over! I was getting pretty bored, sitting at that table with nothing to do! I'm not used to all the flashy lights of the cameras and stuff yet."

"You'll get used to it," Misty assured, using that moment to exit the restroom entirely. "At any rate, if the interviews are over, I suppose that means we're free to leave?"

"Yeah, that's what the guy was saying anyway! He thanked us all for helping him out, making the event a success, y'know, the usual stuff! Oh!" Yuma shouted, suddenly remembering something else. "He did say that he'd be hosting a dinner party for us back at the hotel if anyone was interested! Told us to let you guys know since you kinda bounced before everything was finished!"

"I see," Misty said, nodding politely at the invitation. "I'll be sure to stop by. Now then, if that was all..." Her eyes trailed from Yuma back to Konami. "Shall we?"

"Yeah," Konami nodded, stepping around Yuma to follow Misty down the hall. As he did, a sudden thought came to him, and he glanced back at the boy warily. "Oh, be careful in there, kid. Some jerk smashed a mirror in there. Might be some glass scattered about."

"H-Huh? Thanks for letting me know! I wouldn't wanna cut myself!"

"Right," Konami agreed, rubbing his bruised hand as a reminder of what he'd done. "Well, see you later then."

He made to follow Misty, leaving Yuma alone in the hall. The boy watched them go with the same innocent, childlike expression he'd carried through most of the conversation. It was only once they had turned the corner and vanished from view that his expression changed, becoming far more calculated and sinister in appearance.

"The best they could do was a stomachache? What a joke," he muttered beneath his breath, pushing the restroom door open to step inside. Locking the door behind him, he raised his hand to the Duel Gazer equipped to his left eye and glanced around. "Scan for life forms."

Almost instantly, a bright red light lit up from the piece of equipment, surging out throughout the room and scanning through each and every stall where someone could be hidden. After a few seconds, the light died down, bringing back a negative reading.

He was alone.

"Finally," he sighed, letting his image flicker and fade away.

The Duel Gazer covering his left eye lost it color, becoming a solid piece of gray metal that obscured his vision completely. The two red bangs at the front of his hair stretched back, absorbing and erasing the black locks behind them as they became long smooth strands of red that fell to his waist. With the hair now smoothed back, a shiny blue gem could be seen in the middle of his forehead, giving color to his otherwise pale white skin.

His clothes, too, had shifted. Gone were the red vest and purple shirt. In their place, obnoxious white robes materialized, wrapping around him even as his black boots shifted to a dark blue color. Once the rest of the change was complete, a golden chain in the shape of an infinity symbol hung down from a collar around his neck, symbolizing his true purpose and affiliation.

The moment it appeared, completing his transformation, a hologram of another figure dressed in similar clothing appeared beside him. Unlike Yuma, this new figure was tall and lean, with spiky silver hair and a metal plate that covered the opposing eye. He glanced down at Yuma distastefully upon spotting him, then let loose a grunt.

"Oh, it's you," the man stated. "What do you want?"

"That's quite the greeting. What's the matter?" Yuma, or whoever he really was, replied. "Did you _not_ want me to check in as scheduled?"

The man growled at the sarcastic remark, "Just make it quick." He said, "I'm busy."

Yuma rolled his eyes, but proceeded nonetheless. "You'll be pleased to know that our decision to introduce Xyz monsters into this world went off without a hitch. As far as the masses are concerned, Duel Monsters Zexal will provide the perfect opportunity to move past Synchro Summoning. However...there was an unexpected encounter during the event."

"Hm?"

"The False Prophet's pet project. He's here, in Naples." Yuma explained.

"Konami Kodo," the man realized, red eye narrowing at the name. "I see. I knew that he had fled New Domino City, but I hadn't realized where he had gone or why."

"Should I engage? As he is now, he would be of no threat to me. I can erase him with a mere thought, although...he seems to have gotten in contact with the Tredwell already."

"It doesn't matter. Even if the False Prophet's claims of these Vylon are true, once the Ark Cradle recharges, it will no longer matter."

"Our path is set then?" Yuma asked.

"Yes. Remain in your disguise, and do not engage. God's orders were clear; focus solely on ensuring Xyz monsters become popular. From there, we will continue with the Grand Design as planned."

"Very well."

The hologram flickered and faded, and once again, Yuma was alone in the restroom. He stood there for a moment, relishing in the thought that God would be pleased with his recent successes. Then, he turned, allowing the illusion of Yuma Tsukumo to flow over him. In an instant, his white robes and flowing red hair had shifted back to that of Zexal's future protagonist.

"It's a little annoying," he sighed, glancing at his appearance in the mirror with a scowl, "but for now, I guess I'll just keep Hi-Fiving the Sky..."

And so, he left the restroom to play his part once more.

 _ **-TF2-**_

Time had passed quickly for Konami after meeting with Misty in the restroom. With the interview over, he had accompanied her back to the hotel with Chazz and Yuma, where he spent most of his time in the room fixing his Deck for a possible encounter with Misty. Between the many hours he spent on that, and the MC's dinner party celebrating the event's success, it was no surprise that by the time the party had started to wind down, he found himself glancing at the clock only to realize it was almost Ten.

Misty must had noticed it too, for she had locked eyes with him at that moment and gestured her head subtly toward the door. As she made to leave, so too had Konami. He gave his farewells to those at the party, gathered his things, and made to follow her through the hotel's exit doors, which lead out to a flight of steps on the edge of a dark, dimly lit street corner.

True to her word, Misty had been waiting for him. Her elegant features had been easy to make out even amongst the dark Naples streets, mostly due to the fact that - outside of the few stragglers still returning to their cars or grabbing cabs - she was the only one standing outside. She greeted him with a soft smile as he approached, and her eyes carried a mysterious twinkle that only seemed to grow by the time he caught up to her.

"Is it time?" he asked neutrally, face pulled into a tense expression as he spoke.

"Yes," Misty said, turning to start walking down the street. "I promised you we would finish our conversation, and we will."

"So you're finally going to give me some answers," Konami murmured, falling in step beside her.

"Some, perhaps." She replied, "Unfortunately, I'm afraid that even I do not know everything about our... _condition_. I can, however, claim to know more about it than you, which is why you've deigned to approach me, no?"

"You said before that negative emotions fuel the power of the Earthbound Immortals," Konami noted. "When I was dueling Carly, she nearly managed to drown me in them. It nearly made me give in to Wiraqocha Rasca."

"Yes," Misty acknowledged. "Just as negative emotions are the key to awakening as a Dark Signer, so too are they the method in which your corresponding Earthbound Immortal gains strength."

"Then are posivite emotions the key to keeping them at bay?" he asked. "During that Duel, when I was on the verge of being overtaken by Rasca's will, someone I'm close to was able to get through to me. Are things like bonds and friendship able to keep an Immortal like Wiraqocha from overriding me? Are things like affection and peace really able to do that much?"

"It is possible," Misty admitted. "However, using such a method to stave off your problems only serves as a temporary solution. In time, your Immortal will adapt to such situations, reducing the effect your bonds and feelings will produce. Even if it works for now, you must not forget that to the Immortals, peace is a lie, there is only passion. Whether that passion is good or bad is ultimately irrelevant. They will gain strength regardless, and through it, the power they need to claim victory over their vessel."

Konami thought it over, deciding she might be right. After all, even during the plane ride, when he'd been enjoying his time dueling Chazz and the girls, the whisper of Wiraqocha Rasca was present, demanding that he do dark and terrible things.

"Ultimately," Misty concluded, "using such emotions in your fight against Wiraqocha Rasca will prove to be a hindrance in the future. If you use them to dissuade its attempts to corrupt you too often, then I fear it will eventually force you to cast them aside, or even find ways to turn those emotions into ones that benefit it instead."

Flashes of the Wisteria hallucination struck Konami's mind, and he felt himself frown at the reminder. Indeed, he'd nearly lost it after thinking he'd thrown her down the stairs, but...

"Does that really make them worthless?"

"No," Misty assured. "I merely warn you not to overuse them. So long as you utilize such emotions properly, they will serve you well until you've found a way to permanently deal with your shadow."

"And how do I do that?" Konami growled.

"That," Misty replied, "is what we are going to determine."

She turned, leading Konami around a corner, and then stopped.

Surprised by the sudden halt, Konami glanced at their surroundings, only to feel his eyes widen in surprise. The tightly woven streets of the city were gone, replaced by a single large pathway surrounded by endless greenery. At the end of the path stood a large stony fortress, guarded by a pair of men standing beneath a pillared arch.

"Castle Nuovo," Konami murmured as Misty began to walk forward once more, "we've already arrived?"

"I chose this place due to its proximity to our hotel," she replied. "Unlike other suitable places for our discussion, such as Mount Vesuvius, Castle Nuovo is close enough to not cause a hassle but isolated enough to not draw attention."

"Close but private," he hummed in understanding. "I get it, but you never did tell me just what we'll be doing here."

Misty merely smiled, content to leave him ignorant of their purpose. She led him toward the castle, ignoring the various CLOSED signs lining the area as they approached. Wary, Konami continued to follow, but paused upon spotting the appearance of the various guards on duty.

They were dead-faced, staring forward with blank, empty eyes that reeked of foul play. They said nothing as he and Misty passed, alerting Konami to the fact that something was very, very wrong.

"Did you do something to them?" he accused, immediately jumping to the most obvious and most likely conclusion.

"Unlike the Signers, we Dark Signers wield dark and treacherous powers. As one's skill and unity with their Immortal grows, the ability to cast illusions and manipulate the weak-willed becomes possible. Creating Shadow Drones such as these to act as our eyes and ears is but one of many abilities we possess. When you come to wield your power as expertly as I can, you will learn to use this technique too."

"No," Konami disagreed. "Overriding someone's will with my own is something that I'd never do. Though I see now that it's not beneath you. Did you not learn your lesson after what happened with Wisteria? You should know that controlling people for your own means in unacceptable, Misty!"

"Oh my, there's certainly no need for you to be so dramatic," Misty said coyly. "While it is true that I might have manipulated these souls, I did not do so with ill intent. I merely wished to acquire a space where we could speak privately. As soon as we're done here, these people will be freed, recalling nothing of this night but another uneventful evening."

"Is that so?" Konami questioned, still tense from the knowledge of what she'd done. "Then do you mind answering my earlier question? Just what is it...that we're doing here?"

She led him into the Chapel Courtyard, where she proceeded to spin around and face him.

"Is it not obvious? The quickest way to determine your state would be to see you at your worst. In order to do that, well...given our Immortals' forms, it's rather simple, is it not? We'll be having a Duel, of course."

Konami blinked.

"A Duel?"

The smile on Misty's face suddenly shifted, changing into a small, self-satisfied smirk. Raising her hand to the sky, she revealed the Mark of the Lizard on her arm. As if spurred on by her movements, it suddenly pulsed and grew, invoking the powers of darkness it housed within.

 _"Darkness Change!_ " Misty shouted as it did, spinning on her heel to cast off her mortal appearance.

With wide eyes, Konami watched as a wave of purple light enveloped her, sending shockwaves and fierce gusts in every direction. He buckled his knees to resist the wind pressure, then pressed a hand down on his cap to keep it from flying away. All the while, he kept his eyes locked on the dark sphere that had engulfed Misty, horrified yet transfixed by its awesome presence.

Filthy black tendrils lashed out from the sphere, snapping away at the greenery and corroding it with each and every impact. The flowers began to wilt, and the grass shriveled and died. It went on for several seconds, and then the sphere shattered, revealing Misty for what she truly was.

The green dress she had been wearing was gone, replaced by cold regalia of the Dark Signers. Its black robe hung off her shoulders with ease, accented with dark green lines that trailed up its sides, forming the wicked symbol of the Dark Signers on its center. A sleeveless black shirt sat below it, stretched tightly across Misty's skin. It was accompanied by a dark gray band strapped around her thighs that held the lower part of the black robe in place. Beneath it, a long white skirt hung down to her feet, which were appropriately fitted with strap-on high heels. Like the other Dark Signers, the white of her eyes had been dyed black with evil, and strange wing-shaped markings had drawn themselves upon her cheeks. This was her true form; the one she had gained after losing Toby so long ago!

" _The wicked woman who mourns what was lost,_ " Misty chanted as she finished her twirl, her new appearance degrading the world around her. _"Ccarayhua Lola!"_

"Ccarayhua...Lola?" Konami asked, stunned.

"As you can see," Misy said, her smile returning now that her transformation was complete, "I, like Carly, still retain this power."

Konami felt his fists clench.

So his suspicions were true. Misty still wielded the power of the Dark Signers. Somehow, however, she felt different to how Carly had. While Carly's power had rolled off her in waves, uncontrolled and violent, Misty's power was...softer, more polite. It screamed of a measure of control Carly lacked, a measure of control Konami wasn't sure was possible for him.

"Are you...still you?" he asked warily, not wanting to fall prey to a wicked trap.

Misty giggled softly at the words.

"You needn't be afraid," she told him. "Despite my earlier words, the Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua holds no sway over me in this form. As you have said to your own shadow, I am the one wielding its power...not the other way around."

"You're in the form of a Dark Signer...but your mind is still your own?" Konami breathed, "How is that possible? Did someone defeat Ccarayhua after you revived, or was it something else?"

Misty smiled, "I'm afraid that, contrary to your suspicions, defeating one's Earthbound Immortal is only a temporary setback. While it may hold their influence at bay for weeks or even months while they attempt to regain their semblance of self, in the end, such methods will prove futile. No, Konami-kun... This power was one gained by my own actions. I have stared into the abyss of my blackened soul...and come out with a greater understanding of who and what I am as a result. I have mastered my mind and my body, and in doing so, have mastered the Earthbound Immortal attuned to my suffering as well."

"Mastered? Is this the True Mastery you were talking about before?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "However, I'm afraid my path is not yet complete. Due to obligations I simply could not ignore, I was forced to end my training before it was finished. You, however, need not suffer the same fate. I can set you upon the same path that was once set before me. I can teach you the ways of the Dark Signers and show you how to rid yourself of the influence of the Immortals. I can teach you everything you need to know, but first...you must rid yourself of the fear coiling around your heart. It holds you back, keeps you from reaching your full potential, from fulfilling your destiny!"

"I'm not afraid," Konami retorted, but Misty was quick to cut him off.

"You are," she told him, her tone sharp and demanding. "If you were not, you would not have fled from the interview as you had. You would not have felt so burdened by your Duel with Carly, and you wouldn't have sought out a cure in the first place! You are afraid, Konami-kun. Not only of yourself, but of your Immortal as well. You shall be made to overcome this fear."

She lifted her left arm, prompting a twisted black Duel Disk to manifest along its side. Konami's eyes widened at the sight, and his body tensed.

"You...you want me to duel you?"

"Yes," Misty confirmed. "You will duel me, and you will summon Wiraqocha Rasca while doing it."

"...!"

"In doing so, you will be made to realize a certain truth about yourself. A truth that cannot be spoken by another, one that you must come to understand on your own! You will duel me here, you will summon Wiraqocha Rasca, and in doing so, you shall overcome your fear of it."

"And if I don't?" Konami asked warily.

Misty's eyes widened, a purple glow encompassing their form as a ring of purple flame surrounded them.

"Then for your sake, and that of the world you seek to protect, I will destroy you here and now, lest you become a threat that cannot be overcome."

Konami grit his teeth. He didn't know if Misty was telling the truth, or if this was merely some ploy concoted to drag him down to the depths like Carly had tried before. Nonetheless, it appeared as though Misty wasn't giving him much of a choice.

"So you're saying it's Do or Die, huh?" he asked her. "Well, if that's how it's gotta be, then fine! I learn best when under fire anyway!"

He slung his arm out, activating his own Duel Disk before sliding his Deck inside.

"If it's a Duel you want, then it's a Duel you'll get! I'll beat you here and now, and take all your secrets for myself!"

 _'That's the way,'_ Misty thought, shifting her stance in response to Konami accepting her challenge. _'If you want to overcome the darkness inside you, then you must first be made to accept it! I only hope you have the strength to survive this battle, for if you don't, it will destroy you!'_

The two Dark Signers stared at each other, Duel Disks raised. Then, as they always did, they drew their starting hands and shouted as one.

 _ **"DUEL!"**_

 _ **KONAMI VS MISTY**_

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MISTY - 4000 LP**_

"Since I was the one to issue this challenge, I shall bestow upon you the right to go first," Misty hummed, gesturing to Konami politely. "I only hope you make good use of it, Konami-kun. I needn't remind you what will happen if you don't."

Konami scoffed. He'd heard the same thing many times before, and this was no different! Win or be destroyed, it was that simple. Well, he had a thing or two to say to that!

"My Turn," he muttered, reaching in for a sixth card. "I draw!"

 _ **TURN ONE - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I summon the Black Stone of Legend in Attack Mode!" Konami shouted.

He flung the card upon his Duel Disk, giving birth to a shining black rock that crackled and fizzed with a crimson glow that burned within. The soft heartbeat of a living creature filled the air as it finished materializing, but Konami paid no heed as he watched Misty glance down to take in its stats.

 _Black Stone of Legend - LV1 - DARK - Dragon - (0/0)_

"Zero Attack Points?" she inquired, "How fitting."

"What was that?" Konami asked.

"Never mind me," she replied, shaking her head. "You were making your move?"

"Yeah, I was, and I was doing it by activating my Black Stone's effect!" he revealed, swinging his hand out as the rock's light began to glow brighter and brighter. "When it's out on the field, I can Tribute it to Special Summon a Level 7 or lower "Red-Eyes" monster from my Deck! Now, watch as my Black Stone becomes a fearsome black dragon! Rise on up, _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!_ "

The crimson light shining from within the crystallized stone burst outward at that moment, shattering the rocky egg and unleashing the power within. Swirling upward in a fiery pillar, the light took on the form of a deadly four-winged dragon, which proceeded to crash back down upon the courtyard just above where it's newly placed card hologram stood. Once it had settled in, it lashed its tail about wildly and roared, proudly revealing itself for all to see.

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)_

"Black Flare Dragon? I'll admit I've seen the Red-Eyes Black Dragon before, but this monster is a new one to me." Misty admitted, taking in the monster's appearance.

"Well, pretty soon you'll be able to get a lot more acquainted with him," Konami said. "But since I can't attack on my first Turn, you'll have to settle for watching him from afar for now."

"A pity," she said, her lips curling into what almost looked like a sad frown. "If it's anything like its master, I'm sure it would make for a great companion."

"Tryin' to butter me up, huh? Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but it won't work! I cast the Spell - _Cards of the Red Stone_ , which lets me draw twice by discarding a Level 7 "Red-Eyes" monster from my hand! I'll get rid of my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

He revealed the card to Misty before sliding it into his GY slot, which prompted two additional cards to slide out from the top of his Deck. He took them both into his hand, glanced at them quickly, then slid both into the back slots of his Duel Disk.

"I'll set them both and end my Turn," he said as he did, prompting the menacing aura surrounding Misty to grow.

"Very good, then I suppose that would make it my Turn now, yes?" she asked rhetorically, running her fingers along the top of her Deck.

"That's right," Konami confirmed anyway.

"Then I draw!" Misty shouted, removing the top card from her Deck with her first two fingers.

 _ **TURN TWO - MISTY - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**_

"I activate the Field Spell _Savage Colosseum_ ," she declared, placing the card slenderly on her Duel Disk. "While it's in play, every monster in Attack Mode actually _has_ to attack. And that's not all, because when a monster battles, its controller gains three hundred Life Points!"

Konami grimaced as the courtyard's surroundings shifted and changed. The stone walls of the castle vanished as a result, transforming into repeating archways that formed a stone circle surrounding him and Misty. At first glance, it was a perfect replica of the famed Roman Colosseum, but he knew better. He could sense the awesome power it carried trickling through its stone walls, and in time, he knew that its true abilities would be revealed.

"Now I'll activate my _Foolish_ _Burial_ Spell Card," Misty continued, ignorant of Konami's thoughts. "It lets me send a card from my Deck to the Graveyard, and my Reptilianne Scylla will be the perfect sacrifice for it! Of course, it won't be there for long, because now I'm activating my _Viper's Rebirth!_ While the only monsters in my Graveyard are Reptiles, I can use this card to Special Summon one of them to the field in Attack Position! During the End Phase, the Special Summoned monster will be sent back to the Grave, but for reasons you'll soon see, I won't have to worry about that. Now, rise up, Reptilianne Scylla!"

A nasty howl filled the air, and with a burst of purple light, a dark-skinned woman with flaming red hair rose from the ground beside Misty. She wore a sleeveless black dress with pink trims and a pair of long black gloves that came up to her elbows. Yellow frills poured out from her waist, but beneath them laid not legs as one might expect, but the beginnings of numerous pale scales that formed a monstrous three-mouthed beast. Standing on all fours, it snapped and lashed out at the world around it, revealing Scylla's namesake as they bore their treacherous fanged teeth.

 _Reptilianne Scylla - LV4 - DARK - Reptile - (1800/1200)_

"Not bad, but even with eighteen hundred Attack Points, your monster's no match for my Black Flare Dragon!" Konami told her.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not done yet," Misty replied. "Since I now control a Reptile-Type monster on my field, I can Special Summon another one from my hand!"

"Wait, what?!"

"I activate the effect of my _Reptilianne Lamia_! By changing the Attack Points of one of your monsters to Zero, I can Special Summon it and take damage equal to your monster's original Attack Points! Obviously I'll be targeting your Black Flare Dragon!"

"So that was your plan!" Konami shouted, watching in horror as a purple-skinned child with glowing red eyes and long purple hair formed beside Scylla. She was dressed in a frilly peach dress, but like Scylla before her, from the waist down her body transformed into a more reptilian appearance. A long serpentine tail served as her bottom half, featuring a pale underbelly surrounded by gleaming red scales.

 _Reptilianne Lamia - LV2 - DARK - Reptile - (0/0)_

"Now, Lamia!" Misty called as the girl coiled beside Scylla, "Your effect!"

The young Reptilianne fixed the Black Flare Dragon with a piercing gaze at Misty's behest, prompting the Red-Eyes to shriek in horror as its body began to turn to stone. Lashing out in response, it let loose an Inferno Fire Blast, only for the attack to miss Lamia by inches and hit Misty instead. The woman grunted in pain as she took the brunt of the blow, feeling her Life Points drop even as Lamia's effect finally kicked in, sealing Black Flare Dragon within a stone prison from which it could never escape.

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MISTY - 1600 LP**_

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (0/2000)_

"Red-Eyes..." Konami murmured, glancing at his weakened monster with a glare. He quickly snapped his gaze back toward Misty. "I hope that damage was worth it, because all you've done is made it that much easier to beat you!"

"On the contrary," Misty retorted, "You're the one who has made it easy for me. After all, I now have two monsters on the field...and I've yet to even Normal Summon once this Turn."

Konami's eyes went wide at the implication, and suddenly, he felt a piercing pain engulf his forearm. Glancing down, he found that his Dark Sign was throbbing, which could only mean one thing. He quickly cast his gaze back toward Misty, just in time to watch a familiar purple hue engulf her eyes. Sure enough, she held a single card high above her head, gathering the dark clouds above as a cold chant spilled forth from her lips.

 _"O God which resuscitated my life, now I offer you these souls. Break free from the spell held over you for so long, and grant me the power to guide this soul to darkness! Advanced Summon! Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua descends!_ "

She slammed the card upon her Duel Disk, making the two Reptiliannes she'd summoned vanish into spheres of light. Together, they swirled up into the sky, only to suddenly collide in a violent clash of power that resulted in the creation of a beating stone heart. Konami stared at it in horror, knowing full well what was about to happen next. As if on the cue, the loud screams and moans of Misty's many Shadow Drones filled the air as the heart began to beat, taking in their souls to serve as fuel for its power. Then, it burst into a destructive wave of light, crashing down in the courtyard behind Misty where it gave birth to her ultimate monster.

Waves of debris roared past her as her Immortal rose from the depths, climbing up and out of the ground beneath to tower above them all. Its shadowy figure was made visible only by the various green lines trailing across its form. Slender fingers curled and steadied themselves against the colosseum walls, allowing the monster to rise higher and higher into the sky until finally, it towered above even the castle itself. Having reached its full height, it tilted its gaze down toward Konami and roared, revealing its round reptilian head and the row of sharp green teeth glowing inside its mouth.

 _Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua - LV10 - DARK - Reptile - (2800/1800)_

"You...You summoned it so soon?" Konami gasped, unable to believe what he was seeing even as Ccarayhua's face stared back at him. "All those people... All those souls...! You sacrificed them all, and for what?!"

"To guide you down the proper path, I must hold nothing back." Misty replied, as if talking about the weather. "Therefore, everything available to me will be used as a tool. Be it my status, my strength, or...yes, the populace of this city itself! I told you before that you must overcome your fear or I'd destroy you. This...will prove that what I claimed was no mere joke."

She swung her hand forward, and Konami tensed.

"Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua," Misty declared, pointing toward the frozen Black Flare Dragon. "Attack!"

The overgrown lizard let loose a glass-shattering roar at Misty's behest, then threw its fist downward, prepared to do just that.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER TWENTY ONE - END**_

* * *

 _"You can't beat me like this!"_

 _Having summoned her Earthbound Immortal, Misty tries to drive Konami into a corner. Staving off his attacks, she attempts to force him through the Door of Darkness by having him summon Wiraqocha Rasca! Fighting back against her assault, Konami resists her attempts to do just that! At that moment, Misty's true power is unleashed._

 _ **Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2: Konami VS Misty! The Evil Eye Appears!**_

 _"It's my move. I draw!"_

* * *

 _ **R &R! Poll closed, looks like I'll be finishing TF2 first. Apologies to those wanting GX, but might be better to keep things focused for a while anyway. Anyway, the breather is over, so back to the plot!**_


	22. Konami VS Misty! The Evil Eye Appears!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"You want me to duel you?"_

 _Having finished his favor for Chazz, Konami approaches Misty after the event to gain answers about the powers they share. In doing so, he learns that Misty has indeed retained her abilities as a Dark Signer, and more importantly, has managed to use them freely without being influenced by her Earthbound Immortal! Eager to learn this secret, he demands to learn from her, but in order to learn the secret, he must first pass her gruesome trial!_

 _"You will duel me, and you will summon Wiraqocha Rasca while doing it."_

 _To begin walking down the path to True Mastery, Konami must first overcome his fear of his Immortal by using it in a Duel! However, should he fail, Misty claims that she'll destroy him completely! Still wary of her intentions, Konami has no choice but to accept! Yet as their Duel begins, it becomes clear that Misty's not playing around. Using all of her hand to summon Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua on her first turn, she unleashes a devastating attack on Konami's defenseless monster! Will he be able to overcome such an assault? Prepare to find out..._

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER TWENTY TWO**_

* * *

 _ **Konami VS Misty! The Evil Eye Appears!**_

* * *

"Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua," Misty declared, pointing toward the frozen Black Flare Dragon, "attack!"

Snarling, the overgrown lizard launched its hand downward, curling its slender fingers into a menacing fist. With a great crash, it impacted the stone Black Flare Dragon, shattering it into a thousand broken shards that scattered across the field. Most of the shards flew back toward Konami, cutting across his face and body even as he raised an arm to shield himself. Despite this, it was the pressure from Ccarayhua's fist that caused the most damage. The force of the impact had created a burst of wind that nearly sent him flying off his feet. It was only due to his previous experience with such attacks that he knew to adjust his balance so he'd stay standing. He spaced out his feet and buckled his knees to resist the howling gusts that followed the attack. Despite all this, however, he was not yet willing to call it quits.

"I've got a Trap Card!" he shouted, using all his might to throw his right hand forward and flip over the card on his Duel Disk. "Defense Draw! While it won't stop the destruction of my Red-Eyes, it will stop me from taking any damage from it, and I also get to draw one card!"

The howling winds caused by Ccarayhua's attack seemed to slow at the words, returning to a gentle breeze that allowed Konami to regain his footing. Breathing heavily, he drew an additional card from his Deck, then watched as the towering lizard above him reared back.

"You may have prevented me from damaging you," Misty told him, drawing his attention back to her, "but you haven't stopped me from healing myself either. Due to Savage Colosseum's effect, whenever a monster attacks, after the Damage Step, its controller gains three hundred Life Points."

A gentle green hue engulfed her while she spoke, basking her in a healing light that returned some of the Life Points she'd lost using Lamia's effect. Konami felt himself grimace, familiar with the Field Spell Misty had played. Like Misty had told him, it forced every Attack Position monster on the field to actually do battle during their controller's turn. However, what Konami was truly worried about was its End Phase effect. If a monster in Attack Position failed to attack that Turn, Savage Colosseum would destroy it during the End Phase. While that alone wasn't necessarily difficult to ensure, the presence of Ccarayhua meant that any Attack Position monsters Konami summoned wouldn't be able to choose an attack target. That meant, that unless he found a way to get rid of Ccarayhua, Konami would only be able to play defensively. Still, even that was but a mere distraction to what Konami was truly worried about. A worry caused by something he found quite infuriating.

Misty must have noticed his fuming, because she shot him a coy smile before reaching back into her hand and grabbing one last card.

"I'll set one face-down and end my Turn," she said. "It's your move, Konami-kun."

Konami bristled at her casual tone.

"How can you say that so naturally?" he asked. "Haven't you just realized what you just did? You just sacrificed a bunch of people to summon that thing, and you...you're acting like it doesn't even matter!"

"Does it?" Misty countered. "Whether or not their sacrifice means anything ultimately depends on you. Do not forget, while this may be a Duel, it is also a test. If you are to make any of this worthwhile, then you must overcome your fear of the Immortals, and use their power to face me!"

"And sacrifice people just as you have?" Konami growled. "Forgive me if I refuse!"

"Refuse all you like, but know that this is but the first of many steps you make take if you are to conquer the power of the Dark Signers. Now, make your move. Unless you'd rather...have me skip you?"

Grunting, Konami shifted his feet and raised his Duel Disk.

"There won't be a Skip, but there will be a death! That of your Earthbound Immortal!" He roared. "My Turn, I draw!"

 **TURN THREE - KONAMI - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**

He glanced at his drawn card and nearly dropped it on instinct. His eyes widened as he gazed upon the card's artwork, and it felt like a tight fist had clenched itself around his heart.

The card he'd drawn...

It was Wiraqocha Rasca.

 _'This...So it's not enough for just Misty, but now my own Deck is working against me?'_ he thought with a glare, adding the card to his hand. _'Well, you can sit here in my hand if you like, but don't think for a second that I'm going to use you!'_

He quickly skimmed through the other cards in his hand. Other than the Wiraqocha Rasca he'd just drawn, he held Super Double Summon, Chemicritter Oxy Ox, Catalyst Field, and Supervise. On his field, he still had his face-down Burnout Trap Card.

 _'Guess it's obvious what I need to do then,'_ he thought, sliding Wiraqocha to the far left of the hand before reaching for another card. "I summon Chemicritter Oxy Ox in Attack Mode!"

Placing his chosen card on his Duel Disk, Konami watched with a determined gaze as a small green ox with flaming horns materialized before him. It stamped its front hooves against the dirt several times as if preparing to charge, then ran around in a small circle before settling on the card hologram beneath it.

 _Chemicritter Oxy Ox - LV2 - WIND - Beast - (0/2100)_

"Attack Mode?" Misty inquired, staring smugly at the monster's stats. "You would've been better off summoning it in Defense Position, not that it'd help. Due to my Ccarayhua's effect, I'd be able to attack you directly regardless!"

"Hmph, joke's on you. I didn't summon Oxy Ox here for his effects," Konami explained. "I summoned it because it's a Chemicritter, which means it's precisely what I need to activate my face-down!"

"Your face-down?" Misty gasped, glancing toward the remaining card Konami had set last turn.

"I play _Burnout!_ " he shouted, flipping the card over on his Duel Disk to prompt its larger hologram to do the same. "When this card is activated, I can banish one "Chemicritter" I control to Special Summon two Chemicritters from my Deck! So now, I banish my Oxy Ox to bring out some stronger friends of mine. Come on out, Poly-Chemicritters!"

A sphere of dense flame engulfed Oxy Ox at that moment, dousing it in a chemical fire that quickly spread out to engulf two of Konami's Monster Zones. With a loud bang, the flames then roared upward, becoming swirling pillars that announced the arrival of two monsters.

From the left pillar, a raging behemoth emerged. Wielding the shiny claw of a Carbo Crab, the ogre-like being stood on a pair of twin-footed hooves. A pair of flaming horns similar to Oxy Ox's own hung above its long, pointy ears, surrounded by a spiky mob of glowing hair. As it grew accustomed to its new surroundings, the ogre grunted and snarled, then turned its head upward to glare at the Earthbound Immortal towering above.

As it did so, the flaming pillar on the right burst apart, doused by the sudden eruption of water from within. A blue four-headed dragon with feathery wings quickly scrambled out on all fours, then glanced about wildly with its various pairs of heterochromatic eyes. After taking in the situation, it took turned to stare at Ccarayhua, but unlike the ogre beside it, it looked far more wary, and quickly seated itself in Defense Position.

"You've turned one monster into two?" Misty asked, surprised by the turn of events.

"Allow me to introduce you to Poly-Chemicritter Dioxogre and Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon!" Konami said, gesturing to his two monsters respectively. With them on my field, beating you just became a lot easier!"

The two monsters snarled and roared at Konami's introduction, before finally allowing their stats to be seen.

 _Poly-Chemicritter Dioxogre - LV8 - FIRE - Fiend - (2800/200)_

 _Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon - LV8 - WATER - Dragon - (200/2800)_

"How amusing," Misty inquired. "You believe those monsters will be enough to beat me? I hate to disappoint you, but even if your Dioxogre has the same number of Attack Points as my Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua, it won't be able to attack it. Due to Ccarayhua's effect, it can't be chosen as an attack target, remember?"

"I'm well aware of the Earthbound Immortal's shared effects!" Konami shouted. "Wiraqocha Rasca and Aslla Piscu carry the same text, which is why I also know that without a Field Spell, that Earthbound Immortal of yours is nothing!"

"Oh?" Misty asked, brow rising.

"I activate Supervise!" Konami replied, placing the esteemed Gemini Equip Spell on his Duel Disk. "By equipping it to a Gemini monster I control, it becomes treated as an Effect monster and can use its effects! I equip it to my Poly-Chemicritter Dioxogre!"

The crab-clawed ogre snarled as a crimson aura engulfed its body, signaling the activation of its Gemini Mode.

"And now that it can use its effects, I think I'll activate 'em," Konami continued. "Once per Turn,m I can banish one Gemini monster in my Graveyard to target one card you control and destroy it! I banish the Black Flare Dragon in my Graveyard to destroy your Savage Colosseum!"

It was only then that Misty's eyes went wide with surprise.

In an single bloody roar, Konami's Dioxogre _shattered_ the Savage Colosseum, cracking its stone archways and sending them crashing to the ground. Piece by piece, the familiar stone walls of Castle Napoli re-emerged, and with it, the defeat of Ccarayhua. Lacking the anchor of a Field Spell to support it, the overgrown lizard tilted its head upward and screamed. Unable to exist without the other card, it's body quickly began to fade, vanishing into the depths of the world from whence it came.

Misty watched all of this occur, and it was only when the last slender finger of Ccarayhua disappeared that she turned her gaze back to Konami with a frown.

"You shouldn't have done that," she told Konami.

"No," he retorted. "You shouldn't have summoned it in the first place. Now, you have to pay the price for your mistake. Go, Dioxogre!" he swung his hand forward to declare his intentions. "Attack Misty directly and end the Duel!"

More than eager to obey, the flaming ogre snapped its right pincer twice and raced forward. Stumbling across the upturned dirt and roots of the ruined courtyard, it snarled and tried to swing at Misty, only for the woman to elegantly duck beneath the blow and step backward.

"Sorry," she apologized, promptly flipping her own face-down card upward, "but you aren't the only one who knows how to play Traps. I activate my Draining Shield!"

She said the words just as Dioxogre tried to stab her with its left pincer. A shimmering barrier of green light caught the blow just before it landed, turning Dioxogre's strength against it and sending it stumbling backward. After doing so, the remaining power housed in the barrier swirled toward Misty.

"Draining Shield," she explained as she absorbed its strength. "When it's activated, I negate the attack of your monster and gain Life Points equal to its Attack Points."

Her Duel Disk registered as much. In seconds, the nineteen hundred Life Points she'd had at the start of the turn had more than doubled, taking on the power Dioxogre had unwittingly given it.

 _ **KONAMI - 4000 LP  
MISTY - 4700 LP**_

"Looks like you're the one with less Life Points now," Misty said once the last of Dioxogre's power was absorbed.

"Lucky move," Konami replied. "But I'm not done yet. I activate the effect of the Black Stone of Legend in my Graveyard! Once per Turn, I can shuffle one Level Seven or lower "Red-Eyes" monster in my Grave to the Deck and add Black Stone back to my hand! I shuffle the Red-Eyes Black Dragon back inside!"

He revealed the iconic dragon before shuffling it back into his Deck, then reached into his Graveyard and added the Black Stone of Legend to his hand.

"And that ends my Turn."

"I see. So that card not only allows you to Special Summon from the Deck, but recycle cards in your Graveyard as well..." Misty mused. "Sounds like it'll be quite the annoying card."

"For you maybe," Konami stated. "For me, it's just one more path to victory."

"Then perhaps its time I showed you one of mine," Misty replied. "My Turn, I draw."

 **TURN FOUR - MISTY - ONE CARD IN HAND - 4700 LP**

"Right one time," she said smugly after glancing at the card. "I play Pot of Greed! I'm sure I don't need to explain what it does."

"Draw two cards, yeah, I know." Konami muttered, watching as Misty did just that.

"And now that I have, I'll set a monster in Defense Position and end my Turn!"

A shimmering card hologram appeared before her as she finished speaking. It laid there unmoving for several seconds, prompting Konami to stare at it warily.

"You set it, huh?" he asked. "That must mean you don't want me seeing what card it is."

Misty didn't reply, only smiling at him mysteriously.

Konami frowned as stared back at the card. It was a little worrying. After all, barring more recent Pro Tournaments, when it came to _Duel Monsters_ , players were allowed to Normal Summon in Defense Position just as much as Set. It added another layer to the game, allowing players to bluff or mask their monster's stats until such a time that they were ready to make their move! The fact that Misty chose to set her card meant that either it had some kind of effect she wanted to keep hidden...or she was trying to bluff him into a making a mistake. Either way, the fact that she laid no further Traps meant that if he could overcome this card, she'd be wide open!

"One monster and no backrow? Fine by me," he told her finally, raising his hand toward his Deck. "My move. I draw!"

 **TURN FIVE - KONAMI - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP**

"I summon the Black Stone of Legend!" he then shouted, placing the card face-up on his Duel Disk beside Dioxogre. "But don't expect it to be around for long," he continued, "because I'm using its effect to bring out the Red-Eyes Archfiend slumbering in my Deck!"

Vanishing just as quickly as it appeared, the Black Stone ruptured and broke, shattering to give way to a beast of pure darkness. Skeletal structures and meaty muscles stitched together piece by piece, before coming together in the form of a large black demon. A pair of blood-red wings spread out from the demon's shoulders, and as they did, streams of red lightning crashed down on the field around it. Opening its glowing red eyes, the demon screamed to the heavens, then swung its clawed hands through the air to test their sharpness.

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"Twenty Five Hundred Attack Points...is this your ace monster?" Misty joked.

"One of many," Konami replied seriously. He glanced again to Misty's face-down card. _'I'd really like to get rid of that thing with an effect, but without any Gemini monsters in my Graveyard, I can't use Dioxogre's... Oh well, do or die! If you can't use one method, you'll just have to use another!'_

"Battle Phase!" he shouted, grimacing as he swung forward with a fist. "Dioxogre attacks your face-down monster!"

The flaming ogre snarled and leapt upward, intending on using its momentum to shred Misty's face-down to pieces. Lifting its right claw above its head as it descended, Dioxogre prepared to pierce the card straight through the center, but then a fierce shout roared through the courtyard.

"Show yourself, Reptilianne Naga!"

It was Misty. Throwing her own hand outward, she revealed her face-down monster, prompting a pair of glowing eyes to gaze out from the shadows beneath the hologram. Suddenly, the card was flung upward, revealing a young pale-skinned naga with long blonde hair that fell past her shoulders. She glanced up to meet Dioxogre's stare as it fell to strike her, meeting the attack head-on.

 _Reptilianne Naga - LV1 - DARK - Reptile - (0/0)_

A loud clang echoed through the air. Dioxogre's carbonated pincer bouncing off the cobra head seated atop Reptilianne Naga's hair. Stunned, the ogre could do nothing as Naga coiled herself around him. Once it was locked in place, the Naga trapped Dioxogre with her gaze, slowing petrifying the beast until it turned completely to stone.

"What's this?!" Konami shouted as it happened, eyes widening in shock.

Misty's low giggle caught him off guard. "I'm afraid my Reptilianne Naga can't be destroyed by battle. More than that, when it battles a monster, that monster loses all of its Attack Points."

Stunned, Konami glanced quickly at his Duel Disk to find that Misty was correct. Glancing at his Dioxogre card, he was surprised to find that unlike the twenty-eight hundred Attack Points it had carried upon being summoned, it now read a big fat zero.

"Damn it," Konami grunted. "I knew there had to be something with that monster of yours...!"

"Did I surprise you?" Misty asked, smiling once more. "I told you I'd show you one of _my_ paths to victory, did I not?"

"Wipe that smile off your face. You might've dropped my Dioxogre's Attack Points, but I've still got my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

"Yes, but if you attack with it now, you'll find its Attack Points dropped as well." Misty warned, "Even if you didn't, my Naga's effect ensures that it will survive that battle. Sorry, but you won't be destroying my monsters or my Life Points this Turn."

Konami clenched his fist, knowing she was right. He should've been more careful. He had suspected something was off when she set that monster, and now, his strongest monster was all but useless!

He glanced to his hand, hoping to find something there that could help turn things around! His eyes locked with Catalyst Field. It was a Field Spell, one that would grant him an additional Normal Summon per Turn, so long as the monster he Normal Summoned was a Gemini monster. If he used it now, he could Gemini Summon Red-Eyes Archfiend, and use its effect to destroy Naga and prevent it from reducing the Attack Points of any more monsters! His fingers reached toward the card, intending to do just that...

Only to spot Wiraqocha Rasca in the corner of his eye. Its presence seemed to call out to him, to beg him to play the Field Spell and bring him one step closer to summoning it, to unleashing its power on an unsuspecting world!

His fingers stopped.

"Gruh..." he grumbled, the pulsing power of his Dark Sign swelling his forearm. He couldn't use Catalyst Field, not if doing so meant he'd but a moment away from summoning that...that _thing_. A single moment of weakness would be all it'd take to override him, and who knows what could happen. Gritting his teeth in frustration, and perhaps at his own weakness, Konami lowered his hand.

"I end my turn."

"Oh?" Misty asked, as if sensing the conflict within him. "Are you sure? You still seem to have quite a few cards in your hand..."

"I said I end my Turn!" Konami repeated, stronger this time.

Misty frowned at him.

"Very well," she sighed, shaking her head, almost like she was disappointed. "That makes it my move. I draw!"

 **TURN SIX - MISTY - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 4700 LP**

She glanced at her drawn card, then gazed back toward Konami with a serious expression.

"I warned you not to hesitate," she reminded. "I told you not to hold back. Now, it's time to see what your foolishness has wrought! I activate the effect of a monster in my hand! By tributing two monsters with zero Attack from anywhere on the Field, I can Special Summon this monster!"

Her words snapped Konami from his thoughts, and he glanced to her quickly.

"What did you just say?!" he asked, only to watch in horror as Dioxogre and Naga began to transform into streams of light. As if sucked into a black hole, the two streaks fell into Misty's card, giving it the power it needed to finally materialize as she placed it on her Duel Disk.

"Come forth, Reptilianne Vaskii!" Misty shouted.

The card's hologram appeared on the field in front of her, and then, a large black snake burst out from within it. No, not a snake - a lamia! Like Naga, this new monster was a woman from the waist up. Unlike the younger lamia, however, this...Vaskii...had four pale white arms, and long brown hair that fell down all the way to her waist. A sleeveless blue dress with golden trims hung across her skin, and atop her head sat a similarly colored headdress with the black face of a cobra seated on its top. Uncoiling her four arms, Vaskii gazed out around the courtyard curiously, then reached down a single red rose from the destroyed garden.

 _Reptilianne Vaskii - LV8 - DARK - Reptile - (2600/0)_

"This is the most powerful Reptilianne monster I have," Misty explained. "Had you not hesitated, I suspect that this card would not have been able to be summoned, yes?"

Konami grimaced, not wanting to tell her she was right. If he'd forgotten about Rasca and just used Catalyst Field as he should have, Naga wouldn't have been on the field; Misty wouldn't have been able to Tribute two monsters for Vaskii! Still, there was no changing the past. He could, however, still protect his future!

"Since Dioxogre is no longer on the field, the Supervise I'd equipped to him is destroyed!" Konami explained, watching as the Equip Spell's hologram shattered on command. "That activates its special effect! When Supervise is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I'm allowed to Special Summon one Normal monster from my Graveyard. I bring back the Dioxogre you Tributed just now, and since it's treated as a brand new monster, that means it gets back all the Attack Points your Naga took from it last turn!"

A booming roar echoed across the landscape as Dioxogre revived, eager to take part in another battle and restore its honor after being humiliated earlier.

 _Poly-Chemicritter Dioxogre - LV8 - FIRE - Fiend - (2800/200)_

"It's useless!" Misty countered, swinging her hand out to meet Konami's challenge. "I activate Reptilianne Vaskii's effect! Once per Turn, I can select and destroy one face-up monster you control! Obviously, I'll destroy the Dioxogre you brought back just now!"

"What?" Konami breathed.

Rushing forward, the four-armed lamia quickly coiled itself around the reviving ogre, petrifying the behemoth even as it tried to return to the field. Once the monster had completely turned to stone, Vaskii coiled itself even tighter, shattering the stone statute and returning Dioxogre to the Grave.

Konami cursed. Dioxogre was his best chance at destroying Vaskii without issue; without it, it was all too obvious what was going to happen next.

"Vaskii attacks your Red-Eyes Archfiend!" Misty declared, doing exactly what Konami had foreseen.

Without a word, the black lamia leapt from the shattered remains of Dioxogre, then slid across Konami's field toward the black arch-demon.

Red-Eyes snarled as it watched the monster approach. Raising its clawed hands, it attempted to swipe the snake down, only for Vaskii to duck and weave between blows like a talented dancer. In seconds, she had coiled around Red-Eyes just like she'd done to Dioxogre earlier. From her position, it was far too easy for her to use two of her four arms to lock the archfiend's limbs into place. Once she had done that, she wrapped her remaining two arms around the arch-demon's neck...then turned them roughly to one side, snapping its neck. Red-Eyes Archfiend immediately went silent, all of its power fleeing in an instant. If fell to the ground harmless as Vaskii let go, its body disappearing into shimmering gold shards as a loud noise rang out from Konami's Life Points.

He'd lost a hundred.

 _ **KONAMI - 3900 LP  
MISTY - 4700 LP**_

"Sorry Red-Eyes," he apologized, closing his eyes as the last of the arch-demon faded away. "My mistake cost you."

"And it'll cost you too, if you don't start taking this Duel seriously." Misty warned.

Konami grit his teeth at her words. He already knew how serious it was. She had made that clear back when she summoned her Earthbound Immortal on her first turn! Despite that, the temptation of using his own Immortal, of giving in to that power and causing another New Domino was too much for him to bear!

 _'And yet, if I don't do something, she'll destroy me just like she said she would!'_ he thought desperately.

"I set one card and end my Turn," Misty stated, dragging him from his thoughts. "It's your move, Konami-kun. I implore you to make the most of it."

He glared at her, the negative emotions inside him fueling his Dark Sign. It pulsed freely on his forearm, burning with a red-hot rage that filled him with pain. That, in turn, fueled his emotions, forming an endless cycle that would continue until he reached his peak!

 _'She wants my best?'_ he thought to himself, clenching his fist as he prepared to draw a card. _'Fine! Let's show her what I can really do!'_

"It's my move!" he roared, his eyes gleaming with hate. "I draw!"

 **TURN SEVEN - KONAMI - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 3900 LP**

Dark Valkyria came to him.

Perfect.

There'd be no more hesitation on his end. He'd do what he needed to. So long as it didn't require invoking the Immortal itself, he had nothing to fear. On that note...

"I activate Catalyst Field!" he shouted, sliding the card into his Field Zone slot. Instantly, the ground around them came to life, crackling and humming with electricity and power. Various colors and chemicals seemed to flicker in the air around them, filling the area with the power to make Gemini monsters _strong_.

"A Field Spell...so _that's_ what you've been hiding," Misty purred. "You draw ever closer to the edge, Konami-kun. Now, all you have to do is take that last step."

"Shut up." Konami commanded, "I'm doing things my way, not yours. That's why I'm casting Super Double Summon! It lets me select one Gemini monster I control and Normal Summon it! Then, during the End Phase of this Turn, that monster is returned to my hand. I Gemini Summon my Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon!"

The remaining monster on his field screeched victoriously as its power was unlocked. A blue aura engulfed it completely, increasing its size and atmosphere as it uncoiled its four shimmering heads.

"Now, whenever I summon a Gemini monster, my Hydragon here will give them an additional five hundred Attack and Defense Points."

"And let me guess, you have one in your hand?" Misty asked.

Konami answered her question with a declaration.

"Come forth, Dark Valkyria!"

A white star fell from the heavens as he placed the card on his Duel Disk. Crashing upon the field where the card hologram had appeared, it quickly cut through the resulting dust and debris to reveal the armored fairy Konami had grown so used to using. She hovered next to Konami's Hydragon, allowing its power to fuel her own and send her to new soaring heights.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (2300/1550)_

"Twenty three hundred Attack Points," Misty noted. "Not bad, but not enough to get over my Reptilianne Vaskii!"

"Then it's a good thing I'm not done yet, isn't it?" Konami spat.

Misty's eyes widened at the implications.

"I activate the effect of Catalyst Field! Once per Turn, I'm allowed to Normal Summon an additional time if its for a Gemini monster! You know what that means, don't you? It means I get to Gemini Summon my Dark Valkyria, which means she gets a Spell Count that increases her Attack by three hundred points!"

"And since it's another Normal Summon, that means your Hydragon will increase her Attack and Defense Points again as well!" Misty realized.

The fairy roared angrily as her power peaked, creating a crimson aura of strength that swirled around her violently like a storm. That aura grew after being combined with Hydragon's own, sending the dark fairy into an unstoppable bloodlust that would only be quenched when all of her foes were destroyed.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (3100/2050)_

"Strong enough for you now?" Konami asked.

"Remarkable," Misty said. "So this is what you're capable of when you don't hold back."

"No," Konami corrected. "This is. I activate my Dark Valkyria's effect! By removing her Spell Counter, she can destroy one face-up monster on the Field! I target your Reptilianne Vaskii!"

The lamia's eyes widened upon being named.

"Go, Valkyria!" Konami demanded. "Roast that snake until she's nothing but ash!"

 _"Yes, my master!"_ Dark Valkyria replied, thrusting her right palm outward. A powerful beam of red light immediately surged outward from her hand, obliterating parts of the courtyard with all of its destructive power. Reptilianne Vaskii's eyes grew even wider as she watched the all-consuming wave draw near, and she quickly raised her four arms to try and shield herself from the blast.

She should have dodged.

Instead, she stood helpless as the beam erased her on impact, transforming her pale skin and black scales to crumbling ash that was vaporized in an instant.

Misty let out a grunt as the collision unleashed a blinding wave of light. She shielded her eyes, opening them only when she was certain that the most damaging flashes had ended. When she did, her monster was nowhere to be seen.

"Well done," she congratulated. "I didn't think you'd destroy it so easily. However, in removing that Spell Counter, your Dark Valkyria has lost some of its strength."

It was true. Since her attack boost was gained through the presence of her Spell Counter, without it, Dark Valkyria wouldn't have access to the additional three hundred Attack Points. However, Hydragon's power still remained.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (2800/2050)_

"Still has enough strength to beat some sense into you," Konami muttered after checking the new total. "In fact, I think that's what I'll have her do!"

Taking the words as a command to attack, Dark Valkyria lunged forward, using her armored wings to soar across the courtyard. Flying at high speed, she pulled back her right fist as she approached, then swung it forward once she was in range, using it to slug Misty across the face.

To her credit, Misty took the blow like a champ. Unlike others, who would have been sent flying from the super-powered assault, Misty remained firm. She turned with the blow, adjusting her right foot as it landed to support her and keep her standing. Combined with her power as a Dark Signer, she only stumbled a few feet before regaining her footing; though that did nothing to stop her Life Points from falling drastically.

 _ **KONAMI - 3900 LP  
MISTY - 1900 LP**_

"So?" Konami asked her as Dark Valkyria returned to his side. "Had enough yet?"

Misty rubbed her cheek as she steadied herself, then shook her head and fixed Konami with a firm glare.

"Hasn't anyone ever taught you how to treat a woman?" she chastised. "You're supposed to be gentle."

"Yeah, well, obviously that wasn't working well with you." Konami countered, "Besides, weren't you the one who wanted me to _go all out_? Don't change your mind now that you know I'm too much for you to handle. Although you're always free to forfeit."

"I'm afraid surrender's not in the cards," Misty replied. "On the contrary, if anything, all that blow did was make me want to see how much _more_ you have to show."

"Give it up," Konami grunted. "I've got a twenty eight hundred beater and defender on my field while you've got no cards in your hand! We both know there's no Reptilianne card you can draw that can turn this around, so just surrender already and bring this stupid game or test or whatever you think this is to an end!"

"But there's still so much more I have to show you," Misty replied. "So much more you have to learn. I'm afraid this test is far from over, Konami-kun. In fact, I'd say it's only just begun."

"What...?"

"You are right," Misty replied. "There's no Reptilianne card that will save me, but that doesn't mean there aren't cards that can. All you've seen so far is the first stage of my Dark Signer power."

Misty closed her eyes after saying those words, and slowly, the Lizard Mark on her arm began to glow bright. As if spurred on by its growing power, the vivid lines marring her face twisted and grew, stretching across her skin farther than they had before. They grew upward, climbing from her cheeks up to and across her forehead, where they gathered around the shining jewel she wore as decoration.

"It's time I show you what happens when you delve deeper into the shadows and truly master the power of your Immortal!" she stated, opening her eyes and swinging her hand forward. Purple and green waves seemed to engulf her, dousing her in a wicked power as she finally made her move. "I activate my face-down card, _Metaverse!_ When it's activated, I can take one Field spell from my Deck and activate it!"

A pulse rang out from her Deck at those words, and Konami's eyes widened as he felt his own Mark resonate with it.

"I play..." Misty breathed, taking a single card from her Deck and raising it above her head. "... _Pareidolia, the Evil Eye Domain!_ "

She placed the card upon her Duel Disk, and instantly, a tremor shook the courtyard. Konami stumbled, the sudden sensation knocking him off his feet as the grass and dirt beneath him gave way to something terrible. Shifting and churning, the ground itself crumbled to pieces, making way for a dark black palace that seemed to grow from the depths of the earth itself. As it grew, so too did its influence over the world. The air grew thicker, tinged with a purple miasma that seemed to choke the life out of the living things surrounding it. What remaining grass there was wilted and died, as did the various trees and flowers lining the courtyard. The Dark Signers and their monsters alone stood unaffected, protected by their various powers even as the world itself died around them. Not a single sign of Konami's Catalyst Field could be seen, though given its remaining presence on his Duel Disk, he knew it was still active. And yet, he couldn't care less about that. He was too focused on his new surroundings, on this mysterious card Misty had played, and what it meant for their Duel.

"Pareidolia's effect activates!" Misty called from across him, barely visible through the fog that had set in. "When it's activated, I can add one "Evil Eye" monster from my Deck to my hand. I add Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye to my hand!"

Another card Konami had never heard of.

Despite this, he wasn't going to let her dictate the flow any longer.

"I activate the effect of my Black Stone of Legend!" he countered, "By shuffling Red-Eyes Archfiend back to the Deck, I add Black Stone back to my hand!"

"Again with this," Misty scoffed. "Your Red-Eyes won't help you now. None of your monsters will. Only your Earthbound Immortal will be able to save you."

"Doesn't look that way to me," Konami replied. "From where I stand, you're the one who's down two thousand Life Points."

Misty shot him a cruel and derisive sneer.

"Not for long." She told him. "Before I make my move however, you have to finish yours!"

Konami grimaced. Glancing back into his hand to make sure he had no further cards he play, he nodded once and proceeded to the End Phase.

"Super Double Summon's effect activates," he said, watching as the Hydragon on his Field began to fade. "Due to using it, the Hydragon I Gemini Summoned with its effect returns to the hand!"

With those words, the four-headed dragon vanished completely, and Konami took its card off the Duel Disk.

"That ends my Turn."

"Then it's my move." Misty said, "I draw!"

 **TURN EIGHT - MISTY - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1900 LP**

She paid no mind to the card she drew, immediately adding it to her hand before reaching for the monster she'd added through her Field Spell's effect.

"I summon Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye in Attack Position!"

On cue, a tall, slender figure emerged from the mist. Purple armor stretched across its chest and upper body, complete with a large shoulder-pad on its left arm that bore a wide yellow eye. Its left arm was completely encased in some demonic power, having twisted to become a long red claw. It swung it through the air several times as it approached, as if displaying its prowess and ferocity before taking its side by Misty, ready to fight on her behalf.

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1600/1400)_

"A Fiend-Type..." Konami noted. "What? Got tired of your Reptiles?"

"It is clear to me now that to drive you to the edge, something more will be required of me." Misty replied. "That is why I have deigned to use these cards against you. They are not those of the Reptilianne archetype, for they did not exist until I claimed them by overcoming the might of my Immortal. Just as my Reptiliannes were born from the darkness of ordinary Reptile monsters when I first revived as a Dark Signer, so too did these cards come to exist when I revived the second time."

"Another evolution then..." Konami glowered.

"Your cards may yet evolve too, when the time comes." Misty revealed. "However, whether or not that happens depends on if you pass this test!"

"Your monster only has sixteen hundred Attack Points. What sort of effect does it have that'd make you confident enough to summon it in Attack Position against my Dark Valkyria?"

"This one," Misty revealed, swinging her hand forward. "Serziel's effect activates! When it's Normal Summoned, I can add one "Evil Eye" card from my Deck to my hand! I add the Evil Eye of Gorgoneio!"

She revealed the Spell while adding to her hand, then promptly placed it on the Field.

"I equip this Evil Eye to my Serziel, and in doing so, initiate its effect!" she continued.

A glimmering device similar to what Yuma called a D-Gazer materialized over Serziel's left eye at the words. Its presence seemed to fill the being with power, creating a twisted black aura that threatened to consume everything whole.

"What's this?!" Konami gasped, "It's power...it's increasing...!"

"It's the effect of my Evil Eye of Gorgoneio," Misty explained. "When it's equipped to an "Evil Eye" monster, its name is treated as the Evil Eye of Selene. But that's not the good part. No, for you see, when Gorgoneio is in play while my Life Points are lower than yours, the monster it's equipped to gains Attack Points equal to the difference!"

Konami's eyes widened in horror as he realized what Misty was saying. Due to Dark Valkyria's last attack, the difference in their Life Points had become a staggering two thousand!

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (3600/1400)_

"Wait a sec," Konami began, "hang on here-"

"Serziel," Misty demanded, not waiting at all. "Attack Dark Valkyria!"

The Evil Eye-wearing fiend suddenly vanished from view, disappearing inside the thick fog that engulfed the courtyard. Seconds later, it lunged out on Dark Valkyria's left, its twisted right arm outstretched and ready to kill. Its clawed fingers wrapped themselves around the fairy's face, and Serziel threw his hand downward, sending Dark Valkyria crashing into the ground. Trapped, she grasped the wretched arm with both hands to try and pry it off of her, before before she could, Serziel unleashed a wave of power at point-blank rage. The impact destroyed Dark Valkyria completely, resulting in an enormous explosion that knocked Konami backward and off his feet.

As he landed on his rear, the unmistakable sound of his Life Points falling chimed from his Duel Disk, prompting him to glance down quickly and register the new total.

 _ **KONAMI - 3100 LP  
MISTY - 1900 LP**_

"Since the difference in Life Points has changed, so too does the Attack Point increase from Evil Eye of Gorgoneio." Misty explained.

"Our difference fell from two thousand to twelve hundred..." Konami noted, rising back to his feet. "That means your Serziel only has twenty eight hundred Attack Points now!"

The silver-haired fiend sneered as the aura surrounding it faded just a little.

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2800/1400)_

"Despite this, it is still the strongest monster on the Field." Misty reminded. "You'd be wise not to underestimate it. I set one card face-down...and end my Turn."

"Then it's time for my comeback." Konami grunted. He tensed his fingers a little, then reached for his Deck. "I draw!"

 **TURN NINE - KONAMI - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 3100 LP**

He quickly stared at his drawn card. Red-Eyes Retro Dragon. Somewhat powerful, but not nearly enough to overcome Misty's Serziel. It's use was better served as protection when a Red-Eyes monster he controlled was destroyed. Making a mental note to use it for that purpose unless absolutely necessary, he reached for the other Red-Eyes card in his hand.

"I summon the Black Stone of Legend!" he shouted, waiting until the shimmering stone had materialized before continuing. "Then I'll tribute it to bring back my Red-Eyes Archfiend from the Deck!"

For the third time, the Black Stone erupted and shattered, unleashing its latent power to give birth to a stronger "Red-Eyes" monster. Once again, the sound of mending bone and flesh echoed through the courtyard. Once again, the gleaming claws of the ultimate archfiend raked through the air. Once again, the Red-Eyes Archfiend loosed its long and terrible roar, but this time - Misty was ready.

"I activate my Trap Card!" she shouted, chaining to the summon of the black demon as it rose on Konami's Field. "Evil Eye Mesmerism! When you Special Summon a monster in Attack Position with less Attack Points than an "Evil Eye" monster I control, I can take control of that monster! Then, since I have an "Evil Eye of Selene" in play, I can treat that monster as if it was an "Evil Eye" monster as well!"

"What?!" Konami gasped, watching as a strange and foreboding aura took hold of his archfiend. With a snarl, the red-eyed demon suddenly turned on him, lashing out at him with one of its claws before leaping backward across the field to Misty's side. Konami watched in shock and horror as his monster moved to stand beside Serziel and the supermodel, the three of them staring at him with their cold, derisive stares.

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"I told you your Red-Eyes would be of no help to you," Misty replied casually, venom dripping from her tone. "However, I'm sure it will be of much use to me."

"You'll pay for that!" Konami promised.

"Oh? And how will you make me pay? You have no monsters on your Field, and the one monster you could have used to turn this around has been turned against you instead!" She replied. "So no, Konami-kun, I do not think I'll pay. In fact, I think I'd rather make you pay. Pay for wasting my time, for being a failure of a Dark Signer, and for being too scared to face your own Shadow!"

"Ugh...!" Konami grimaced, surprised by the venom in her tone. He had known she didn't care for how he was handling things, but he had no idea her hate ran so deep. Was it all even hers? Ever since she transformed, she had seemed to grow crueler and crueler with each Turn, until finally this new transformation of hers had been unleashed. But with that transformation came new emotions, and expressions he never thought he'd see appearing on her face.

Was it all really her?

Was her Earthbound Immortal truly incapable of influencing her as she had claimed, or was that too just another trick, an illusion cast to help Wiraqocha Rasca take hold of his mind?

Konami didn't know what to think.

As he stood there, however, faced against his own monsters and Misty's sneering tone, he knew one thing was certain. If he didn't stop Misty from attacking him directly on his next Turn, whether or not she was telling the truth would be the least of his worries. Fortunately, he had just the card to help him out.

"I activate the effect of my Catalyst Field!" Konami shouted, invoking the power of his Field Spell. "While it's active, I can Normal Summon Level Five or higher Gemini monsters without Tributing! I play my Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon in Defense Position!"

A starry flash accompanied the reappearance of his four-headed dragon, along with a loud splash of water that pooled around its four hoofed feet. Glancing around, it took stock of the situation before curling inward, using its hard body to protect itself from danger.

 _Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon - LV8 - WATER - Dragon - (200/2800)_

"I end my Turn."

"Is this really all you have to offer?" Misty asked, her eyes narrowing at his lackluster counter. "A monster in Defense Position? Really?"

"Sorry you took my Plan A," Konami replied sarcastically.

"As Dark Signers, we can use the power of darkness to foresee our opponent's moves and plan around them. We have the power to _act_ , not react. You, however, seem to be keen on staying as you are. On embracing your half-measures, and _sealing_ the power of your Immortal, rather than using it."

"Even if I wanted to, not like I can summon it with one monster on the Field." Konami retorted.

"Perhaps not," Misty agreed. "And yet the chance was there. That chance may come again, and if it does, you should take it. One cannot win the game if they do not play, and you, Konami-kun, are not playing."

"Neither are you. In case you haven't noticed, it's your move. I suggest you make it, before I do it for you."

"Your taunts and challenges mean nothing here. Only those with the strength to do what is necessary have power now. I have yet to see such strength from you."

"Funny, that's not what you were saying a few minutes ago."

"I changed my mind. I thought you were on your way to embracing your power. That you'd only need a little push. Now I see I was wrong. You don't need a push. You need a shove!"

Konami tensed.

"As you say, it's my move." Misty said, "I draw!"

And she ripped a card from the top of her Deck, intent on drowning Konami completely in despair.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER TWENTY TWO - END**_

* * *

 _"Now, fall!"_

 _Having unleashed her Evil Eye monsters, Misty proceeds to push Konami to his limits. As his Life Points begin to dwindle, the call of his Mark grows harder and harder to resist. Trapped in the darkness with his latest foe, he makes a decision to free himself of the chains holding him back._

 _ **NEXT TIME ON YU-GI-OH! TAG FORCE 2: Konami's Awakening! The Condor Descends!**_

 _"Now, fall!"_

* * *

 ** _So who do you think will win this scuffle?_**


	23. Konami's Awakening! The Condor Descends!

_Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2..._

 _"Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua, attack!"_

 _Having summoned her mighty Earthbound Immortal, Misty unleashes a devastating assault on Konami. However, having prepared himself for such an encounter, he quickly dispatches the overgrown lizard whilst staging a comeback of his own! Using the power of Catalyst Field and his various Gemini monsters, Konami successfully manages to put Misty on the defensive, only for the supermodel to quickly delve deeper into the shadows._

 _"I play Pareidolia, the Evil Eye Domain!"_

 _Realizing her Reptiliannes will not be enough to push Konami into overcoming his fear, she unleashes the second stage of her Dark Signer transformation and begins using a brand new archetype - the Evil Eye! Will her new cards push Konami to the edge, forcing him to use Wiraqocha Rasca at last?_

 _Prepare to find out..._

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER TWENTY THREE**_

* * *

 _ **Konami's Awakening! The Condor Descends!**_

* * *

"It's my move," Misty said, her fingers curling around the top card of her Deck. "I draw!"

She pulled the card free of its metal restraints, adding it to her otherwise empty hand whilst staring at her capped foe.

 **TURN TEN - MISTY - ONE CARD IN HAND - 1900 LP**

"I activate Evil Eye Confrontation!" Misty declared, sliding the card into one of the open Spell slots on her Duel Disk.

After doing so, a large hologram version of the card rose before her, displaying its artwork so Konami could see. Upon it, a large purple snake seemed to lunge forward, while behind it, a purple-haired girl seemed to stand ready. Konami frowned at the sight, realizing that the two monsters were probably other monsters of the "Evil Eye" archetype that Misty had started using. Still, he set the image of the two monsters aside for later, deciding to focus on the here and now instead.

"So?" he asked warily, "what's this new card of yours do?"

Misty smiled at the question, "Evil Eye Confrontation allows me to destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field, but that's not all. When I have an "Evil Eye of Selene" on the field - which I do, due to my Evil Eye of Gorgoneio's effect - then that card isn't only destroyed, but it's banished as well! Naturally, the card I choose to destroy shall be one of yours: the Catalyst Field that's been defending you so well until now, in fact!"

Konami grimaced. The power of Misty's Spell quickly and easily blew through the courtyard, obliterating the shimmering orbs of his Catalyst Field even as the thick fog she had conjured up with her own Field Spell persisted. In seconds, the chemical glow of his card had vanished, its powers and effects neutralized and abolished by Misty's play. With no further use for it, he quickly removed the card from his Duel Disk and cast it into the Banished Zone, knowing he wouldn't be seeing it again during the Duel.

"Damn it," he muttered. He'd been intending on using Catalyst Field to stage a comeback on his next turn, but Misty must have calculated he'd try something and acted before he could. Whether it was through her own skill as a Duelist or some mystical foresight she'd gained from being a Dark Signer however, he didn't know.

"Unfortunately, even with the destruction of your Field Spell, my Serziel lacks the strength to overcome your Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon." Misty stated. "Fortunately, it is not the only monster I control right now. Your Red-Eyes Archfiend - or my Evil-Eye Archfiend, rather - is still here!"

Konami scowled, already knowing that fact. During the last turn, she'd made a point to gloat about stealing it when she brought it under her control with the power of Evil Eye Mesmerism. Still, she clearly wasn't as familiar with his cards as she first seemed if she thought it would help her overcome Hydragon. His Poly-Chemicritter was in Defense Position, boasting a defensive power of twenty eight hundred! Compared to that, the Archfiend's twenty five hundred Attack Points were no match. And even if it was Gemini Summoned, its effect would do little. After all, Archfiend's effects destroyed monsters whose _Defense_ were lower than its Attack Points. Much like a proper assault, its lightning would have no effect!

That didn't stop Misty from Gemini Summoning it, however.

"Unleash your power, Archfiend!" she yelled, her face stern and determined as the black demon rose up to do just that.

Spreading its wings, it released a storm of lightning from its bony protrusions. Crimson bolts lashed out through the fog, sparking against the walls and dirt as the traitorous monster reared back its head and snarled.

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"With this, I might not be able to destroy your Hydragon," Misty mused as the demon settled down, "but I will be able to destroy any fledglings you call to help you!"

"Bold of you to assume you'll get the chance," Konami grunted.

Though his words were confident, his heart was not. Though he did have cards that would help him overcome the diabolic duo Misty controlled, the odds of drawing one were rather low. He had hoped to play defense long enough to gather the cards that would let him defeat her in a single instant, but it seemed he wouldn't be able to do that. With Archfiend's effect unleashed, Misty would be able to stop him from giving Hydragon any support on the field. Even worse was the fact that, now that Catalyst Field was destroyed, his odds of summoning a monster strong enough to overcome either of Misty's monsters in a single turn was incredibly low. Archfiend alone had twenty five hundred Attack Points, and her Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye had even more than that! It stood at a whopping twenty eight hundred, a power earned by combining its original Attack Points with the difference between Konami and Misty's Life Points.

With only Hydragon on the Field...well, there was no easy way to put it.

Konami was stuck.

"I end my Turn!" Misty called, the announcement sending a shiver down Konami's spine. He quickly shook it off.

 _'Don't lose your head yet. This pales in comparison to some of the other tight spots you've been in,'_ he thought, chastising himself thoroughly.

He curled his fingers inward and reached for his cards.

"My move," he said, steadying his breath. "I draw!"

He pulled a card free.

 **TURN ELEVEN - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 3100 LP**

He glanced at his drawn card: Block Attack. It wasn't the best card he could have drawn in that situation...but it wasn't the worst either. Far from it, in fact. With this card, he could at least get rid of one monster Misty controlled. Both Serziel and Archfiend stood as dangerous obstacles. Destroying either of them would still leave Konami in a pickle. But while Archfiend possessed the power to destroy many monsters, Serziel was still neutralized, and more than that, dependent on the difference between Misty and Konami's Life Points being wide. Since he still had over three thousand Life Points, so long as he didn't get wiped out in an instant, losing a few would hurt Misty's monster just as much as it would hurt him. With that in mind, he turned his focus to his traitorous Archfiend. The fact that Misty had turned his own monster against him was unforgivable, and the longer he left it on her side of the Field, the longer the insult to his pride and honor as a Duelist remained.

Yes.

His path forward was clear; so he made his move.

"I summon Blazewing Butterfly in Attack Mode!" he yelled, smacking the card face-up onto his Duel Disk.

A flickering flame sprung to life in front of him as he did, spreading outward to take on the shape of burning wings that flapped freely in the foggy sky. At their base sat the small yellow body of a blue-eyed insect, complete with jagged antennae and a single stinger that hung from its rear. It flapped its wings gently while soaring around the field, before turning to hover beside Konami.

 _Blazewing Butterfly - LV4 - FIRE - Insect - (1500/1500)_

"Blazewing Butterfly?" Misty asked incredulously. "But why? Without your Catalyst Field, that monster lacks the effect that makes it so useful!"

"It doesn't need its effect to be useful," Konami countered. "Not this time, because I've got this!"

Acting quickly, he slid his drawn card into his Spell slot.

"I cast Block Attack! It lets me shift one face-up Attack Position monster you control to Defense Position, which means my Red-Eyes Archfiend is about to bow down!"

Misty's face twisted into something resembling displeasure as she watched the black demon do just that. "To think you'd have a card like Block Attack... That's quite an old card."

"You forget that I'm not only playing Gemini, but Red-Eyes as well," Konami explained. "In case you haven't noticed, they're all about the classics."

"So it appears," she agreed begrudgingly, "but do you really think they'll be enough to beat me?"

"We're about to find out, because now my Blazewing Butterfly is attacking Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

On command, the flaming butterfly burst into motion, zipping and soaring through the fog toward the barely visible Archfiend. Readying its stinger, it latched itself onto the black demon before it could respond, then plunged its sharp weapon deep into the monster's chest. Red-Eyes Archfiend snarled in agonizing pain as the stinger burrowed into its flesh, but it didn't feel the burn for long. Seconds after the stinger made impact, the flaming poison of the butterfly injected itself, collapsing Red-Eyes Archfiend's innards and reducing the monster to golden shards from the inside out. Before long, the entire monster had been reduced to golden ash, leaving Blazewing to buzz victoriously before returning to Konami's side.

"Due to Block Attack changing the battle position, you won't take any damage from that fight," Konami said, "but that's not what you should be worrying about."

"Oh? Misty asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Why not?"

"Because now that Archfiend's back in my Graveyard, it means I can use my Black Stone's effect!" he answered, once again unleashing the power of his most used card. "By shuffling my Archfiend back into the Deck, I can add Black Stone back to my hand!"

"Which means that you'll just use it to bring Archfiend out again on your next turn," Misty glowered.

"That's right," Konami agreed. In his head, he added, _'And if I draw a Supervise, that'll give me the means to take out your Serziel and finish you off once and for all! No Dark Signer powers needed, just plain ol' skill!'_

"Hmph, I don't know which is worse," Misty murmured, "that you refuse to partake in this little 'test' properly, or the fact that you actually think you can succeed while doing it."

"You keep calling this a test," Konami noted, "but I'm still not sure it's as straightforward as you've been saying. On the contrary, your actions so far have only made me distrust you even more! Summoning Ccarayhua without any hesitation...and the change in attitude you've undergone since this Duel has started... Yes, I'm certain of it now! That every fiber of my being is calling for me to stop you!"

"And I'm telling you that you won't be able to do that playing as haphazardly as you have been!" Misty roared back. "Regardless, this battle of ours will continue, and my earlier warning stands! You will be made to summon your Earthbound Immortal, and if you don't, then I'll crush you here! Then, I'll turn my sights on another... Carly, perhaps?" She added with a cold smile, "From what I sensed during your battle with her earlier, it seems she would be far more willing to accept the darkness growing within her..."

"You keep her out of this!" Konami snapped.

"No, I don't think I will. Indeed, after I defeat you here I think I'll pay dear Carly a little visit. If you don't want me to do so, you're going to have to make me!" Misty laughed. "Unfortunately, you've missed your chance! It's my Turn now, and I draw!"

Quickly, she pulled a card from the top of her Deck, then added it to her non-existent hand.

 **TURN TWELVE - MISTY - ONE CARD IN HAND - 1900 LP**

Naturally, it didn't stay there long.

"I activate Evil Eye Repose!" she began, revealing her drawn card before sliding it into her Duel Disk. "This is a Continuous Spell with a few effects, but when it's activated, it lets me banish an Evil Eye card in my Graveyard and draw an additional card from my Deck. I banish the Evil Eye Confrontation in my Graveyard!"

An image of the other Spell materialized for but the briefest of moments before vanishing once more, giving Misty the power she needed to draw a new card from her Deck. She stared at it quickly, then shook her head in amusement before sliding it into her Duel Disk as well.

"Next," she said while doing so, "I'll draw two more cards by playing this, my Pot of Desires."

"Pot of Desires?" Konami asked, watching as a large pot that combined the features of both the Pot of Greed and Pot of Avarice rose from the ground. "What's this one do?"

"Much like the Pot of Greed, Pot of Desires allows its wielder to draw two cards," Misty explained, reaching for her Deck. "However, before doing so you must first pay a terrible cost."

"A cost?"

"Ten cards," Misty explained, grabbing ten cards from the top of her Deck and keeping them face-down. "Ten cards from the top of your Deck must be banished, and they must be kept face-down while doing so."

 _'Being banished is nothing new, but face-down?'_ Konami thought, watching as Misty paid the cost and drew her new cards. _'Since they're face-down I won't be able to see what they are...but it should also make it harder for her to get them back too!'_ He shook his head, not wanting to think about the implications when Misty was already moving to the next step of her plan.

"Now that I've drawn some more cards, it's time I gave my Serziel a little back-up!" she shouted, reaching for one of her two new cards and placing it on one of her Duel Disk's Monster Zones. "I summon Medusa of the Evil Eye in Defense Position!"

A pale purple glow announced the arrival of her new monster, and it was one Konami had seen before. It was one of the monsters who had been displayed in Evil Eye Confrontation's artwork - the purple-haired girl in a dark dress with a pair of heterochromatic eyes. She stood beside Serziel with a distasteful expression, almost as if working alongside the other monster was killing her from the inside out. Still, she looked ready to obey Misty's commands, which - Konami realized - was all that really mattered.

 _Medusa of the Evil Eye - LV4 - Dark - Fiend - (1400/1600)_

"I activate my Medusa's effect," Misty called. "When she is Normal Summoned, I can target one "Evil Eye" card in my Graveyard and add it to my hand. I choose one that you're already quite familiar with: my Evil Eyes Mermerism!"

Konami felt himself tense as Misty flourished the card before adding it to her hand. Evil Eye Mesmerism was the card she used to take control of his Red-Eyes Archfiend earlier! From what he recalled of it, its power only worked on Special Summoned monsters; a fitting counter against the power of the Black Stone of Legend he'd been using so often during the Duel. No doubt she planned on using it again, intent on keeping him from abusing the Black Stone's power as he had been so far!

"Now that I've done that, it's time we moved to the Battle Phase!" Misty shouted, swinging her free hand forward. "Serziel, it's time we put an end to that overgrown defender! Attack Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon with your Evil Eyes!"

Serziel snarled at Misty's command, then snapped its head forward to unleash a beam of light from the Evil Eye attached to its head. Konami gawked as the beam approached his Hydragon.

"It won't work!" he told her. "Your Serziel only has twenty eight hundred Attack Points right now, remember? That's the same amount my Hydragon has, it won't be destroyed by this battle!"

"I don't need to destroy it to get rid of it!" Misty replied. "I mentioned it before, but it's time you heard about another effect of my Evil Eye Repose! When its active while a monster I control that's equipped with the Evil Eye of Selene attacks your monster, then after damage calculation, I can banish whatever monster it was that was attacked! Since my Evil Eye of Gorgoneio is treated as Evil Eye of Selene while on the field, that means it will work with this effect as well, which means that when my Serziel attacks your Hydragon-"

"-you'll be able to banish it!" Konami finished, eyes widening.

"Precisely!" Misty confirmed, swinging her hand forward anew as Serziel's attack drew nearer. "Now, Hydragon! It's time you were removed from play! Begone from my sight, _Evil End!_ "

The water dragon screamed as Serziel's laser crashed into its body, setting its scales and blue skin ablaze. Lashing out wildly, it bucked and roared in pain, its body disintegrating from the bottom up as Evil Eye Repose's power took hold. In seconds, the dragon's body had vanished completely, leaving Konami alone save for the Blazewing Butterfly still flapping its wings on his field.

With Serziel having already declared an attack, Misty knew she had no way of besting the tiny critter. Her Medusa had a hundred less Attack Points than it did, and even if it did have the strength to overcome it, she had summoned it in Defense Position. No, there would be no more attacks this time, but that didn't mean the game was up. She glanced at her hand where two cards remained. A smile drew across her lips.

"I set one card...and end my Turn."

Konami's vision snapped to the hologram that appeared almost instantly afterward. There was no doubt in his mind as to what it was.

 _'Evil Eye Mesmerism,'_ he thought.

The same card she'd added to her hand with Medusa's effect.

 _'No Special Summons then,'_ he grimaced, tightening his grip on the Black Stone in his hand. _'That means I can't use Blazewing's effect either! Damn it, she's locked me down!'_

"What will you do now, Konami-kun?" Misty giggled, as if sensing his plight.

Konami grimaced. What else could he do?

"The same thing I do every night, Misty." Konami grunted, shifting his feet. "I draw!"

 **TURN THIRTEEN - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 3100 LP**

He glanced at the new card quickly. It was Evocator Chevalier. It was a nineteen hundred Attack Point monster; a Gemini with an effect that removed an Equip Spell from the field to target and destroy one card Misty controlled. Konami didn't control any Equip Spells at that moment, but it wouldn't matter if he did. Since Evocator was a Gemini monster, it would have to be summoned twice to use its effect anyway; without Catalyst Field or Supervise, it would take two turns to pull that off.

Still, while he couldn't use its effect, he could use its Attack Points to overcome the Medusa Misty controlled. Unlike Serziel, Medusa only had sixteen hundred Defense Points, too much for Blazewing to get through, but not high enough to protect it from an attack by Evocator.

 _'Since I can't go into Special Summons with that Mesmerism ready on her field, this is the best play I've got!'_ Konami thought. _'So I guess that's what I'll have to do!'_

He flung the card onto his Duel Disk and watched as a flaming pillar burst into life before him.

"I summon Evocator Chevalier in Attack Position!"

The flames quickly gave way to the blazing warrior, allowing him to step forth and ready his blade for battle.

 _Evocator Chevalier - LV4 - FIRE - Warrior - (1900/900)_

"A Normal Summon then? That monster isn't strong enough to defeat my Serziel," Misty noted.

"But it is strong enough to get through your Medusa's defenses!" Konami countered, punching forward. "Go, Evocator! Send Medusa packing with your Chevalier Spirit Slash!"

The flaming warrior acknowledged the command, then leapt forward to drive its blazing sword through Medusa's chest. Before the warrior could finish its approach however, Misty's smile grew.

"Looks like you fell for my bluff!" she shouted, sweeping out her own hand to activate her Trap Card. "I activate my face-down, _Evil Eye Defeat!_ "

"What?!" Konami gasped, taking a step forward as his eyes widened in shock. "It's not Evil Eye Mesmerism?!"

Misty laughed. "You were so focused on what I added _back_ to my hand that you never bothered to consider what I already had _in_ it! Now, you'll pay the price for your mistake. Evil Eye Defeat's effect activates! Since I control an "Evil Eye of Selene", I can target two cards you control and return them to your hand! Of course, I'll be choosing the two monsters you have on the field! Your Evocator Chevalier, and yes, your Blazewing Butterfly as well!"

"But those are the only monsters I have!" Konami pleaded, unable to do anything as the two monsters transformed into spheres of light that fell back into their respective cards on his Duel Disk.

"Then I guess this means you're completely defenseless!" Misty snapped. "And since you've already used your Normal Summon this turn, it means you won't be able to bring any other monsters out either!"

 _'Blast, she got me!'_ Konami thought with a snarl. He pulled the two cards off his Duel Disk and added them back to his hand solemnly.

He was defenseless.

"And now, it's my Turn!" Misty continued, not giving him even a single second to breath. She quickly ripped a card from the top of her Deck to signify the change, and added it to her hand.

 **TURN FOURTEEN - MISTY - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1900 LP**

"Go Serziel!" she then shouted, gesturing to Konami with a single crooked finger. "Attack him directly!"

The silver-haired fiend snarled at the command, curling its clawed red hand into a wretched fist. Launching it forward as if throwing a punch, Serziel released a storm of energy from its knuckles that fell toward Konami in a violent wave. He watched wide-eyed as it approached, wondering if this was it; if this, combined with Medusa's follow-up attack, would be how he'd lose!

Then a flash of something in his Graveyard caught his eye.

It was Burnout! The card he'd used to call forth Dioxogre and Hydragon back when the Duel first started! It's effect had allowed him to banish a Chemicritter from his field...but it also had another effect that would help him now!

"I activate Burnout's special ability!" he shouted quickly, "When I'm attacked directly, I can banish it from my Graveyard to target a Gemini monster that was banished as well! Then, I can Special Summon that monster, and treat it as an Effect monster that can use its effects!"

"Big deal," Misty scoffed. "What are you going to bring back? That Chemicritter you banished to activate Burnout in the first place?"

"No," Konami denied, shaking his head, "because I've got another Gemini monster waiting in the wings; one that was banished to activate my Dioxogre's effect! Come on back, Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"

The snarl of the hell dragon echoed through the foggy courtyard as the beast materialized from thin air, reclaiming its place on the field. Spreading its four red wings wide, it took on its Attack Position, standing ready to serve Konami in his time of need.

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)_

"Not good enough!" Misty snapped, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the monster. "Serziel still has more than enough power to destroy it!"

The storm of power collided with the Red-Eyes in a flash of light, and the black dragon screamed as its body was once again vaporized on Misty's command. The ensuing explosion forced Konami to shield his eyes with his Duel Disk, a move that allowed him to hear the sound of his falling Life Points over the roar of the destruction.

 _ **KONAMI - 2700 LP  
MISTY - 1900 LP**_

"Well, would you look at that," Misty said with a smug grin. "You're defenseless once again."

"Actually, I'm not," Konami stated, "because now that you've destroyed a "Red-Eyes" monster I controlled and sent it to the Graveyard, I can activate the effect of a comrade in my hand!"

Misty's smile faltered, "What did you say?"

"I activate Red-Eyes Retro Dragon!" Konami yelled, slapping the card neatly onto the center space of his Duel Disk. "When you destroy a Level Seven or lower "Red-Eyes" monster I control, I can bring this guy out in Defense Position and he'll turn back the clock!"

Misty watched with a scowl as the clockwork dragon materialized, its body black as night save for the red sheen lining its form. A pair of rusted gears churned on each of the dragon's hips, turning ever so slightly as the monster snapped its jaws.

 _Red-Eyes Retro Dragon - LV4 - DARK - Dragon - (1700/1600)_

The monster she finished reading the monster's stats, Misty realized was something was wrong. The fog, which up until that point had swirled endlessly around them, had suddenly slowed - no, it was still slowing, the clouds of mist and vapor crawling and crawling until finally - they reached a full stop.

Even the movements of her monsters had paused, she realized. Serziel stood completely still, its arm still outstretched as the last whispers of power from its attack hovered around its palm. Medusa too stood frozen, her body trapped in a single frame of its idle animation. Then, as if things couldn't get any weirder, the movements began to _reverse_. The fog began swirling the opposite direction, and Serziel's attack began to re-emerge in opposite fashion, complete with the explosion that had vaporized Konami's Black Flare Dragon and dealt damage to his Life Points!

"W-What is this?! What's happening?!" she asked, snapping her head around to take in the scene.

"I told you, didn't I?" Konami replied. "My Retro Dragon's effect turns back the clock, and I don't mean in a Daylight Savings kind of way! No, Retro reverses time itself, restoring things to the way they were before you unleashed the attack that destroyed my monster! While the damage I took remains, the status of my monster does not! Its destruction is reversed, which means my Black Flare Dragon comes back in the same position it was in when it was destroyed!"

As if to prove his statement correct, the high-pitched squeal of Black Flare Dragon's reversed death cry echoed through the courtyard. In an instant, the obliterated monster re-materialized from the explosion - no, it was more fitting to say that it was as if the explosion never happened! Even Serziel's attack, Misty realized, had been reversed. The blazing storm was vanishing back inside the fiend's outstretched fist, until finally - nothing remained.

Its job finished, Retro released its hold on time, and the restored Black Flare Dragon loosed a new roar of victory, announcing itself to the world anew!

 _Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)_

Misty cursed.

"That's right," Konami said with a grin. "You should be mad, because that's not all that's changed. Since I kept the battle damage from Serziel's attack, that means the effect of your Evil Eye of Gorgoneio kicks in! Since the difference in our Life Points has decreased, so too has the boost it gives your Serziel!"

Misty's eyes widened, also making that connection. She glanced down to her Duel Disk to check her monster's new stats.

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2400/1400)_

"A mere twenty four hundred..." she muttered.

"Not even enough to destroy Black Flare without killing itself," Konami chuckled.

 _'This is perfect!'_ he thought. _'Now all I have to do is Gemini Summon my Black Flare Dragon again on my next Turn, and with its effect, I can attack her Medusa and inflict twenty four hundred points of damage to Misty! It was rough for awhile, but this is it! I can win!'_

"Good move, but our Duel is far from over!" Misty shouted, as if sensing his thoughts. "I know what you're planning Konami-kun, and it won't work! I'm activating a Spell from my hand - _Earthbound Revival!_ "

"No, not that card!" Konami shouted, eyes wide in shock.

"But it is!" Misty confirmed, sliding the card into her Duel Disk with a scowl. "Now, I can discard one card to add both an Earthbound Immortal and a Field Spell in my Graveyard to my hand! I'll discard the Evil Eye Mesmerism I'm holding..." she murmured, sliding the Trap into her Graveyard slot, "and add Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua and Savage Colosseum back to my hand!"

"Blast! I was so close!"

"And yet, you still have much to learn! I already have a Field Spell active..." Misty murmured, "so there's no need for me to replace it! But now, I'll Tribute my Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye, and my Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye, to bring back my Earthbound Immortal!"

The two monsters erupted into purple pillars of energy that quickly trailed upward into the sky. They collided high in the atmosphere, transforming into a single beating heart that shone an eerie light down upon the field.

 _"Now, let the door to darkness be revealed once more!"_ Misty chanted, raising a single hand high above her head in a vicious pose. _"The Eye of Evil opens to reveal a world without light! Advanced Summon! Show yourself, Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua!"_

The beating heart exploded, transforming into a fiery blaze that engulfed the sky. The howl and wails of lost souls filled the air as they were consumed by the blast, devoured as the explosion took on a new, horrific form. In a single instant, all of Konami's hopes were undone. In a single instant, the black lizard emerged.

With a screeching howl, Ccarayhua lifted its claws and grasped the tower of Pareidolia, steadying itself whilst glaring at Konami through its wide and rolling eyes.

The Earthbound Immortal was back - and victory began to slip from his fingers.

 _Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua - LV10 - DARK - Reptile - (2800/1800)_

"I end my Turn."

 _'Blast!'_ Konami thought. _'Blast, Blast, BLAST! I was so close! A turn away from ending this! And now she's completely turned it around again!'_

"Count yourself lucky," she said. "I hadn't realized you still had such a trick up your sleeve. Had I known, I would have summoned Ccarayhua _before_ I attacked you, and ended this here and now! As things stand, you still have a Turn to stage a comeback. Even better, you currently have two monsters on your field. Don't you see? This is your chance, Konami-kun. On your next turn, you can bring out your Earthbound Immortal, and use its power to match and even conquer my own!"

Konami shook his head at her words.

 _'Again with this,'_ he thought in disgust. _'How many times do I have to tell her that I'm not doing it? I've seen the horrors the Earthbound Immortals can bring, and I won't take part in it!'_

But even as he rejected Misty's words, some part of him - some dark aspect that he never recognized, relished the idea. Would it really be so bad, using Wiraqocha Rasca? Was it really wrong to utilize its power, so long as that purpose was for the greater good? The Earthbound Immortals were dangerous, yes...but wasn't the danger they presented precisely why they were perfect to use against the coming threats to begin with? Their overwhelming power was what made them useful; even his future self had recognized that fact!

 _So why was he so desperate to deny that power now?_

 _'Because it's bad for me,'_ he thought with a grimace, recalling his Duel with Carly. _'It'll tear away at my mind and soul, ripping it to pieces until there's nothing left! No, I can't do it. I can't risk it! And even if I did, what good would it do? Misty may not know Wiraqocha's effect, but I do, and I know it wouldn't bring me victory right now! If I'm going to use it, it has to be later, when there's a better opportunity? Wait..._ _ **if**_ _I use it?'_

The thought had come so suddenly that he almost didn't notice it. Somehow, in the midst of his rejection, he'd gone from thinking _No_ to _Maybe_. Was that too the power of the Immortal; the influence of the Dark Sign stretched across his flesh? Was their hold on him so great that they could twist his very thoughts now? Konami didn't know, but whatever the reason, it didn't bode well. The last he needed was to lose himself in the middle of a Duel, particularly when he was already on the verge of defeat!

 _'Calm down,'_ he told himself, _'examine this situation. It might seem bad, but its nowhere near as bad as it could be. Look, you already have the cards you need to get out of this situation. You don't need Wiraqocha Rasca_ or _the Dark Signer power. You can win this in one brazen move!'_

"And that's what I'll do," he finished with a mutter. "It's my Turn! I draw!"

 **TURN FIFTEEN - KONAMI - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 2700 LP**

The drawn card's identity was revealed the instant he finished drawing it.

"I play Pot of Greed! As you very well know," he told Misty as the famed Pot appeared beside him, "this card lets me draw two new cards! I'll draw one..." he glanced at its artwork as he drew.

Dawnbreak Gardna.

"...and two!"

Breakthrough Skill.

He added both to his greater hand then reached for the card that would lead to Ccarayhua's demise.

"Next I'll bring out my Black Stone of Legend!"

"Oh great," Misty muttered, frowning with distaste as the shining stone materialized. "This card again?"

"That's right, and you know what that means!" Konami spat. "I'll be tributing it to bring back my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

Yet again, the great stone shattered in a wave of light, releasing a new being from its glassy prison. The black demon snarled and tore its claws through the air as it reshaped once more, then stood tall beside its fellow Red-Eyes' while glaring at Misty and her kaiju-sized ace.

 _Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV5 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)_

"Red-Eyes Archfiend again..." Misty glowered, "but even it won't save you! Since you don't have your Catalyst Field, you can't Gemini Summon it in one turn! That means you'll be unable to use its power to overcome my Immortal!"

"Is that so?" Konami asked with a grin.

"What...?"

"I activate my Red-Eyes Retro Dragon's third effect! By tributing it while its on the Field, I can Normal Summon or Set an additional "Red-Eyes" monster this turn."

"An additional...? No, you can't!" Misty protested.

"I already have!" Konami declared, the last of Retro Dragon vanishing into golden particles that quickly fled toward the Red-Eyes Archfiend. "Now, watch in horror as my Red-Eyes Archfiend regains its special ability! _Gemini Summon!_ "

Crossing its arms as Retro's atomized remains merged with its body, the black demon screamed a battle cry and unleashed its pent-up aggression. Lightning and thunder roared across the foggy sky, creating a whirling storm of electricity that the Archfiend absorbed. Bolt by bolt, its body tensed and grew, transforming into an even more muscular version of itself and creating a dark red aura that portrayed its true strength. As the last bolt of lightning vanished inside its form, the black demon brought its arms down and screamed one last time, letting the power flow throughout its form! The shout was accompanied by a shockwave that nearly sent Konami and Misty flying, announcing the completion of the monster's second summon.

"This is it, Misty!" Konami shouted. "I hope you're ready, because I'm bringing the thunder! Let's go, Archfiend! I activate your ability! _Lightning Vortex!_ "

Red-Eyes Archfiend spread its arms wide upon hearing Konami's command, releasing and endless stream of crimson lightning from its bony black arms. The bolts zapped against its surroundings, scorching the grass beneath its feet before trailing upward into the sky. There, they sparked and electrified the very air itself, creating a swirling sphere of electricity that grew and grew, until it was nearly twice the size of the Archfiend itself. Quickly, the black demon thrust its arms upward into the sphere as if taking hold of it, then threw the orb upward toward the towering silhouette of the Earthbound Immortal. The wide green eyes of Ccarayhua watched the sphere approach, then loosed an enraged scream that sent shockwaves through the courtyard.

Konami clasped his ears at the sound, not wanting his eardrums to suffer the horrible noise of Ccarayhua's deathly screech. Misty had done the same, but her eyes were locked on his, narrowed into vile slits that betrayed her emotions. He didn't care. It was too late! His Archfiend's effect was already in motion, and now, every monster on Misty's side of the field with less than twenty five hundred Defense Points would be destroyed.

Unfortunately for her, that meant Ccarayhua was a goner.

Though the great lizard towered above the castle and Misty's Field Spell, it rocked a defense stat of only eighteen hundred, not nearly enough to protect it from Red-Eyes Archfiend's attack. This was made clear the moment the sphere made impact. The crimson orb crashed into the monstrous titan with a loud bang, sending millions of volts coursing the Immortal's body. Ccarayhua screamed at the assault, its head tilting back as it lost itself in the pain and viciousness of the assault. Its wide, beady eyes gave way to an empty white, and a shower of debris fell down upon the courtyard from the tower upon which its right arm stood. The monster had lost its balance upon being hit, and its arm had skidded through Misty's Pareidolia, knocking some of windows and building bricks free. They crashed down upon the courtyard around the two Duelists, but luckily, neither of them were hit.

However, the worst had yet to come!

"Ccarayhua's effect activates!" Misty shouted defiantly as her monster's feet began to vanish into golden light. "When it's destroyed by a card effect other than its own, it takes everything on the field with it!"

"What was that?!" Konami gasped, only barely hearing the words through his ringing ears.

Misty didn't bother repeating herself. Ccarayhua would make itself clear soon enough. Having lost its footing and consciousness, the towering titan of a lizard let its arm run through the tower yet again, cutting it clean it two. A booming explosion rocked the sky as the top half of the tower separated from its bottom half, and it quickly began falling toward Konami's side of the field!

"What the-?!" he shouted, gazing up at the falling debris in shock. Quickly turning on his heel, Konami ran toward the castle entrance, attempting to get free of the fall zone!

A thunderous boom rocked the courtyard, and a shockwave of dirt and grass flew free from the area of impact! The wave knocked Konami off his feet, sending him spiraling down onto the ground. He landed on his rear, dazed, but alive. Quickly, he scrambled back to his feet, turning to gaze at the aftermath - only to find the vanishing shards of his Black Flare and Red-Eyes Archfiend.

"My monsters...!" he breathed, understanding what Misty had told him. "They're gone!"

"Like I said," Misty called from afar, her image barely visible through the vanishing fog and debris. "When Ccarayhua dies, everything does! My Field Spell, your monsters, they've all been made victims of circumstance! Unlike your monsters however, my Evil Eye Domain comes with insurance! When its destroyed by a card effect, I can target one "Evil Eye" monster in my Graveyard and add it to my hand! I return the Serziel I tributed for Ccarayhua to my hand!"

She revealed the card, though Konami could barely see it through the fading smoke. Still, he understood the implications well enough. No doubt she intended to use Serziel to set up a field similar to the one she had prior to his use of Retro Dragon's effect. Well, he'd soon put a stop to that!

"I'm setting a card face-down!" he announced, sliding the Breakthrough Skill he'd drawn earlier into his Duel Disk. He watched the hologram spark into existence in front of him, then lowered his arms. "That'll end my Turn."

"Stubborn to the end," Misty muttered, the last of the smoke and debris finally fading from view. They were back in the regular courtyard now, though its appearance was far more damaged and worn than it had been when they first arrived.

Konami briefly wondered how she planned on explaining the damage, or if she even intended to at all.

"It's my move!" She declared, paying no heed to the damage around them. Her focus was on Konami and Konami alone; on making him understand and overcome his own fear of failure! However, with each passing turn it seemed her goal grew harder and harder, forcing her to act more and more vicious. The cycle would have to come to an end eventually, but she didn't know who would break first.

There was only one way to find out.

"I draw!" she shouted, pulling a card free from her Deck.

 **TURN SIXTEEN - MISTY - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1900 LP**

She glanced at her drawn card: the Pot of Greed. She set aside for later, then reached for another card.

"Now that my Pareidolia is gone, it's time I gave us some new scenery, or should I say, an old one? I play Savage Colosseum!"

Konami scowled as the damaged courtyard vanished, replaced with the cold, pristine image of the wicked Colosseum.

"This again?" he asked, glaring at her from afar.

"You're the last one who should be complaining about repetitiveness," Misty glowered.

Konami's face scrunched up, a determined expression in his gaze, but Misty paid it no mind. She was already moving to another card in her hand.

"And speaking of repetitiveness, how's this for familiar?" she asked, "I summon Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye in Attack Position!"

A flash of lightning announced the arrival of the silver-haired fiend, and it quickly stretched the fingers on its red claw to ensure they were ready for battle.

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1600/1400)_

"And now that it's been summoned, Serziel's effect activates-" Misty began, only for Konami to sling his hand forward quickly.

"Not so fast!" he shouted, "I've got a Trap; Breakthrough Skill! It'll negate the effects of a face-up Effect monster until the End Phase, which means you won't be adding any "Evil Eye" cards to your hand this time around!"

Misty grimaced as Konami's Trap took hold, stopping her monster in its tracks. Shaking her head at his persistence, she quickly reached for the card in her hand with a scowl.

"You might have stopped me from drawing cards through Serziel's effect," she replied, "but you haven't stopped this! I play the Pot of Greed!"

"You're running more than one?!" he snapped in surprise, eyes widening as the familiar green pot appeared on her field.

"Yes," she noted, brushing him off casually as she drew two new cards. "And through its power, I'll add two new cards to my hand."

She glanced at them both quickly and grinned. "And one of them was this! I activate the Evil Eye of Selene!"

"Of Selene?" Konami inquired, watching as a hologram of the card appeared on Misty's field. "So this is the original one all your other cards have been mentioning!"

"Yes, and just like my Evil Eye of Gorgoneio, this one is an Equip Spell!" Misty explained, "Naturally, I'll be using it on my Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye!"

The fiend chuckled darkly as the warped eyepiece materialized on its face, increasing its potency with a wicked purple aura.

"And now that I've the stage," Misty murmured once that was done, "it's time I got back to beating you! Serziel, attack Konami directly! _Evil End!_ "

Eyes widening, Konami backpedaled quickly, but it was too late. A single beam of light shot out from the Evil Eye of Selene, and it coursed across the courtyard before slamming directly into Konami's chest. He screamed in pain as the beam blasted him off his feet, and he fell into the dirt, back slamming into the ground with a pained thump!

"Urgh...!" he grunted, curling inward while clutching his chest in pain.

"Looks like I finally hit you, Konami-kun," Misty said with a cold smile. "What's the matter? All out of tricks?"

"I've still got a few up my sleeve," Konami grunted, crawling back to his feet even as his Life Points fell.

"Then you'd do well to remember mine," Misty replied. "Savage Colosseum's effect activates! Since a monster I control attacked, I gain three hundred Life Points!"

Konami cursed at the reminder, glancing down to register the new totals as his own Life Points finally stopped falling.

 _ **KONAMI - 1100 LP  
MISTY - 2200 LP**_

"Looks like I've taken the lead," Misty called, alerting Konami to the fact that she'd finished checking the totals as well. He scowled at her.

"You might be ahead, but that doesn't mean you'll win!" he shouted. "Like you said earlier, our Duel is far from over, and now, it's my move!" he bent his knees, crouching down while curling his fingers tightly. "I...draw!"

 **TURN SEVENTEEN - KONAMI - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 1100 LP**

He drew One for One.

 _'Perfect!'_ Konami thought, _'though I wish you had a turn earlier! Oh well, no use thinking about what could have been! I've gotta do what I can here and now!_ '

"I summon Dawnbreak Gardna in Attack Mode!" he shouted, slapping the card face-up on his Duel Disk. A soft hum followed the act, accompanied by a golden light and the emergence of a shining warrior dressed from head to toe in a dark steel armor.

 _Dawnbreak Gardna - LV3 - LIGHT - Warrior - (1500/500)_

"Dawnbreak Gardna?" Misty asked incredulously. "Another Gemini? It might come close, but I'm afraid I must point out that your monster lacks the strength needed to overcome my Serziel! You would have been better off playing that Evocator Chevalier you have in your hand!"

"Actually, I wouldn't have, because I didn't summon Gardna here for his Attack Points," Konami retorted. "I summoned him because he's Level Three!"

"What?"

"And that's just the number I needed since I planned on using this!" he continued, revealing his drawn card. "I cast _One for One!_ It lets me discard a card...then Special Summon a Level One monster from my Deck!"

"A Level One monster? Oh, I see what's happening here."

"No, I don't think you do, because now that I'm discarding. I'll be able to do more than bring out a Level One monster," Konami told her. "I'll be able to put an end to your pestering too, because the card I'm discarding...is Wiraqocha Rasca!"

"What?!" Misty snapped, glaring at him. "But that's your Earthbound Immortal! You need to summon it!"

"No, I don't think I do." Konami countered, glaring right back at her as he slid the card into his Graveyard. "You keep going on about how this is a test and I _have_ to do this or that, but from what I've seen, I've managed to stick with you all the way up until now! To put it simply, my Earthbound Immortal just isn't needed, and even if it was, there's no way I'm going to sacrifice someone's souls just to bring it out. Face it, Misty! Your attempts to goad me into summoning it have failed, and now, your monster's about to fail you too, because I'm Special Summoning the Tuner monster Unknown Synchron!"

A small metallic eye appeared beside Dawnbreak Gardna as Konami spoke, emerging from the Deck through the power of One for One.

 _Unknown Synchron - LV1 - DARK - Machine - (0/0)_

"A Tuner monster...!" Misty growled, "Then it's just as I suspected! You really are planning on Synchro Summoning!"

"That's right! I'm tuning my Level Three Dawnbreak Gardna with my Level One Unknown Synchron!" Konami shouted.

As if on cue, the two monsters swirled into the air, transforming into stars and sigils that bound together in a vast green light.

 _"White lights gather in the void before us! Become the blade that strikes them down!"_ Konami chanted, watching as a black figure emerged from the green pillar. _"Synchro Summon! The Dark Warrior, Underworld Fighter Balmung!"_

A crack of blue lightning lit the sky as the dark soldier crashed onto the field. He landed on a single knee, eyes gleaming red as he took his scabbard and unsheathed the large gleaming blade housed within. Its hilt gleamed as he took hold of it, the blue gem embedded in its center lighting up in response to Balmung's grip. He swung the weapon over his shoulder effortlessly, holding onto it with a single hand while his other gripped the sheath tightly. After doing so, he rose to his feet, standing tall against oppression while glaring at Serziel, who snarled at the sight of him.

 _Underworld Fighter Balmung - LV4 - DARK - Warrior - (2100/800)_

"You discarded your Immortal so you could summon _this_?" Misty spat, unimpressed.

"That's right," Konami confirmed. "And now, he's about to take your monster down! Go, Balmung! Cleave Serziel in two!"

 _"Yes, my master!"_ Balmung shouted, leaping forward without hesitation upon hearing the command. Soaring through the Colosseum, he tightened his hold on his blade, waiting until he was in range to launch his attack. Serziel was waiting for him, and quickly responded to his approach. Rapid bursts of crimson light leapt out from the Evil Eye of Selene, but Balmung dodged and weaved past each blast with the grace of a dancer! In seconds, he had closed the space between them, and swung his blade in a wide arc-!

It cut through Serziel like butter, cleaving the monster in two and sending a spray of crimson light in Misty's direction. She screamed in surprise and shielded her eyes, but it did nothing to stop the light from assailing her, reducing her Life Points by the difference in the two monsters' strength. As her own Life Points fell, Konami's began to rise. The power of the Colosseum was on his side now, rewarding him for his tenacity and desire to battle. Its green light engulfed him, healing some of his minor wounds while raising his Life Points ever so slowly. As Balmung returned to his side, he checked his Duel Disk to read the new totals, knowing that on her side of the field, Misty was doing the same.

 _ **KONAMI - 1300 LP  
MISTY - 1700 LP**_

"Closed the gap," he murmured with a smile, glancing upward only to frown at what he saw. "Wait...what's this? Your monster. It hasn't been destroyed?"

Indeed, through the wound from Balmung's strike was still present, Serziel itself had not yet fallen. On the contrary, it seemed to healing! The Evil Eye of Selene was glowing, its pale aura stretching down across Serziel's skin and stitching its wounds shut!

"What trickery is this?"

"It's not trickery," Misty laughed. "It's my Evil Eye of Selene's effect! While its equipped, the monster that's using it can't be destroyed by battle or card effects!"

"Now you tell me," Konami grumbled, glaring at the monster as it shot him with a cold grin. "Nonetheless, my Balmung still has enough strength to put it in its place."

"Not for long, because now it's my move!"

"Not yet it's not," Konami interrupted, "I've still got one last play, and it's one you've surely grown fond of!"

Misty scowled, already knowing what he was about to pull.

"Black Stone of Legend's effect activates!" he shouted. "By returning the Archfiend in my Graveyard to my Deck, Black Stone returns to my hand!"

"I'm getting real tired of that move," Misty murmured, watching as he added the card back to his hand. "Now, are you finished?"

"I dunno," Konami muttered. "Am I?"

"Yes, you are!" Misty hissed. "My move, I draw!"

She ripped a card from her Deck furiously.

 **TURN EIGHTEEN - MISTY - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1700 LP**

"Since Breakthrough Skill is no longer affecting my Serziel, I'm activating its special effect!" she snapped.

"What? But you can't! I thought Serziel's effect only activated when it was summoned!"

"Its first effect does, yes," Misty confirmed, "but not its other one! When its equipped with an Evil Eye of Selene, I can activate its second ability to target one Special Summoned monster you control and destroy it!"

"Special Summoned...? Ah, oh no!"

"Oh yes," Misty laughed. "As you've no doubt realized, your Underworld Fighter Balmung falls under that category, which means he's about to suffer the wrath of the Evil Eyes! Go, Serziel! Unleash your fury on that compensating warrior! Destroy him with your effect - _Evil Blast!_ "

 _"Take this!"_ Serziel hissed, its eyes widening to unleashing a devastating wave from the Evil Eye of Selene. The crimson jet of energy burned through the Savage Colosseum, approaching Balmung with rapid speed. Quickly, the dark warrior grasped his blade and swung it down to meet the bolt head-on. Just in time, the blade met the crimson blast, prompting Balmung to grunt in surprise at the attack's force.

 _"Stronger than it looks,"_ he muttered, dropping his sheath to take hold of his weapon with two hands. He growled softly, pushing more and more of his strength into keeping his blade firm while Serziel's scream filled the air. For a moment, Konami thought that Balmung might actually succeed in deflecting the blow.

He should have known better.

With a final roar, Serziel's power grew, sending a second burst of energy out from the Evil Eye and pushing Balmung to the brink!

The warrior's blade cracked in his hands, then shattered completely, leaving him defenseless against Serziel's attack!

 _"NO!"_ he roared, his body consumed by the raging storm of power. His body arched and twisted as the beam engulfed him, and a vibrant explosion rocked the stadium.

Konami shielded his eyes as Balmung vaporized in an instant, but that didn't keep him from swinging his hand out to activate his effect.

"Balmung's ability activates!" he shouted, watching as the blue gem on the hilt of the shattered sword began to glow. "When he's destroyed by a card effect, I can Special Summon another Level Four or lower monster from my Graveyard!"

"What did you just say?!" Misty snapped, surprised by the words.

"I said, your monster's effect just backfired!" he grunted. "Because now I can bring back my Dark Valkyria!"

As if expecting the call, the silver-haired beauty fell from the sky and landed with a crash onto Konami's field. Quickly, she scanned the site of the battle, then paused upon noticing the shattered sword. She bowed her head as if paying her respects.

 _"Rejoice, fair einherjar,"_ she murmured beneath her breath, _"for Valhalla awaits."_

Her duty completed, she turned and glared at Serziel, then fell into a battle-ready stance worthy of a valkyrie.

 _Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)_

"Looks like this is the end for you," Konami told Misty. "Your Serziel won't be able to use that effect again this turn, and since my Valkyria is stronger than it, that means your Savage Colosseum will take it's life come the End Phase if it doesn't attack!"

Misty giggled, amused by his words. "Is that what you think? Sorry to disappoint you, but that won't be how this ends. I activate the effect of my Evil Eye of Selene! When the equipped monster uses its effect, I pay five hundred Life Points and increase that monster's Attack Points by the same amount!"

"What?!" Konami breathed, watching as Serziel began to cackle and laugh. The Evil Eye seemed to grow upon its face, twisting into a half-helmet that only served to fuel the monster's power. At the same time, Misty grimaced in distaste, as if some of her life force had been drained from the effort.

Perhaps it had.

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2100/1400)_

 _ **KONAMI - 1300 LP  
MISTY - 1200 LP**_

"If your monster's power increased...then that means my Dark Valkyria won't be able to take the attack!" Konami realized, glancing to his monster worriedly.

"Which means that your prediction won't be coming true!" Misty laughed. She swept her arm through the air as if swatting a fly and grinned, "Go, Serziel! Send that fairy packing with your new power! _Evil End!_ "

 _"Die!"_ Serziel screamed, following Misty's command eagerly as Dark Valkyria prepared for the assault. Like before, the fiend unleashed a vibrant wave of light from its equipment, and Dark Valkyria released a wave of her own, eager to meet the challenge. Bolts of crimson energy crashed into each other in the center of the Colosseum, resulting a blazing shockwave that nearly sent Konami and Misty flying! They bent their knees to grip down on the concrete and stood firm against the sudden gusts of wind, but even that barely kept them in place. All the while, Dark Valkyria and Serziel kept at it, putting all of their power in the beams that threatened to consume them whole!

Back and forth the waves pushed, each battling for dominance in the fight to determine who'd come out alive! For a few seconds, Dark Valkyria's wave would overtake Serziel's, only for a new burst of power to erupt from the silver-haired fiend, pushing the beam back into the middle!

 _"Darn you...! Die already!"_ Valkyria screamed, unleashing a second wave with her other hand.

 _"You first!"_ Serziel roared, widening its eyes to increase its own power.

A second shockwave rocked the building, and then - Serziel's beam tore through Dark Valkyria's!

 _"This can't be!"_ she shouted, astonished, but it was! Her beam had been completely obliterated, and now, Serziel's was headed straight for her! It crashed into her with the force of a train, knocking her from her feet and into the air. _"No! I'm perfect!"_ she screamed, body disintegrating piece by piece. _"I'm perfeeeeeect!"_

And with a blazing explosion, she was gone.

Konami let out a shout and shielded himself as the rest of Serziel's attack blew past him, nearly taking an ear! It crashed into the Colosseum wall behind him, knocking free several bricks that crashed to the ground. He could hear his Life Points falling, and as things finally settled down, he turned to glare at his Duel Disk.

 _ **KONAMI - 1000 LP  
MISTY - 1500 LP**_

As expected, Misty's Life Points had risen again. Savage Colosseum's effect had taken hold like it always did, rewarding the turn player for daring to attack.

"I'll set one card and end my Turn," she purred from across the courtyard.

Konami glared at her fiercely.

"Fine by me," he muttered. "My move. I draw!"

 **TURN NINETEEN - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 1000 LP**

He drew Monster Reborn.

The hum of his Mark filled the air.

 _'I can win with this!'_ he thought, staring at the card with an eerie smile. _'Even better, I can humiliate her while doing it! All it'd take is one summon... I'll revive her Earthbound Immortal, and use it to claim victory for myself!'_

His eyes widened as he realized what he was thinking, and he lowered the card quickly.

 _'No!'_ he thought, shaking his head with a grimace. _'I...I can't do that! I have to rely on my own monsters here, not hers, and certainly not Earthbound Immortals!'_

He glanced to his Graveyard, skimming through what he had availiable.

 _'Do I go into Black Flare Dragon? Gemini Summon it and go for the win?'_

It seemed like the best strategy. After all, Serziel only had twenty one hundred Attack Points, and while the Evil Eye's effect would keep it from being destroyed by battle, it wouldn't stop Misty from taking the extra burn damage! Then again...

 _'She has that Trap card, and lately, it seems like every move I make she's prepared for!'_ Konami thought with a grimace. _'Is it possible she's expecting Black Flare? Or any other move I might make? If that's the case, then I'd be better off going for more numbers, and that means...'_

His eyes locked on a monster.

"I cast Monster Reborn!" he shouted, sliding the card into his Spell Slot and watching the ankh appear before him. "With it, I can revive one monster from either of our Graveyards! I Special Summon the Poly-Chemicritter, Dioxogre!"

The flaming abomination rose with a snarl, its body absorbing the ankh and its power while stomping its hooves into the dirt. Raising its carbo claws, the fiend glared at Misty, eager to repay the woman for its earlier defeat.

 _Poly-Chemicritter Dioxogre - LV8 - FIRE - Fiend - (2800/200)_

"The conflict within you is growing, I see." Misty noted. "With Monster Reborn you've been given so many options, and yet this is the one you choose?"

"Shut up, I'm not done yet!" Konami bristled.

"Oh, I know." Misty agreed. "Because next, you'll be bringing back your Archfiend, yes?"

Konami flinched. That was precisely what he'd been planning on doing, but Misty didn't need to know that.

"Thanks for the suggestion," he said instead, reaching for his Black Stone of Legend. "Come on out, Black Stone! Use your power to bring back the Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

Misty sighed, unimpressed by Konami's motives. He'd been pulling the same move all Duel, and not once had it worked. Wasn't there a word for that?

Oh, right. Insane.

Regardless, her thoughts did little to stop the snarling of the black demon as it broke free of the stone prison anew.

Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)

"Now, for the Battle Phase...!" Konami grunted. "Red-Eyes Archfiend attacks Serziel!"

"No, he doesn't, because I've got a Trap card!" Misty snapped. "I activate Zero Gravity! It changes the Battle Position of all monsters on the field, meaning not only will your Archfiend not be battling this turn, but your Dioxogre won't be either!"

"So you _did_ have something planned!" Konami accused, grimacing as both of his monsters shifted into defensive postures. "I knew it...!"

Misty had the audacity to smile. "Trying to look ahead, are you? Far too late for that, I'm afraid. Now, it's my Turn, I draw!"

Without waiting for a response, she pulled the top card of her Deck free from the Duel Disk with a smile.

 **TURN TWENTY - MISTY - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1500 LP**

"Serziel's effect activates!" she declares. "Since I used its effect on my last turn, it forces me to destroy a card on my side of the field this turn!"

"A delayed cost?" Konami inquired.

"To give you a chance," Misty explained cruelly. "Of course, you failed, and so, the card I'll be destroying is Serziel itself!"

"You're going to destroy your own monster?" Konami asked. "But why?!"

"You're mistaken," Misty said, shaking her head softly. "I'm not destroying anything, but I've got _this!_ I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Forbidden Dress! It'll lower my monster's ATK by six hundred until the End Phase, but also make it unaffected by any card effects that I might have!"

Serziel screamed as a white dress materialized around it, wrapping it in holy light as its beam threatened to tear itself apart. The holy dress managed to knock away the destructive blow, but as a result, Serziel was left with a scowl on its face, its power dropping due to the humiliation of wearing the now scorched object.

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1500/1400)_

"And don't forget," Misty continued since this was Serziel's effect, the Evil Eye of Selene's ability increases its power once more at the cost of five hundred Life Points!"

Her Duel Disk loosed a series of trills, announcing the further fall of her Life Points.

 _ **KONAMI - 1000 LP  
MISTY - 1000 LP**_

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2000/1400)_

"We're...all tied up..." Konami breathed.

"Not for long," Misty explained. "Because now I'm activating Serziel's effect once more!"

"Tsk!"

"Grumble all you'd like, but it won't help you! Serziel, destroy the Special Summoned Red-Eyes Archfiend! _Evil Blast!_ "

 _"Yes!"_ Serziel hissed wickedly. Locking its gaze on Red-Eyes, it fired another beam of light from its Evil Eye, prompting the Archfiend to snarl in outrage. It began to gather lightning in its claws, intending to use the power to fight back against the blast, but it was no use. Before the demon had even finished gathering its power, Serziel's beam cut through its body, evaporating it in a deadly explosion that sent Konami's hat flying from his head.

"Urgh...!" the man grunted as he skidded through the dirt from the force of the blow. "Red-Eyes...!"

"You shouldn't be worrying about him while my Serziel's growing even stronger!" Misty mocked, paying even more Life Points to further Selene's hold over Serziel. The Evil Eye had transformed into a full helmet now, masking Serziel's face from view while continuing to drain away at Misty's Life Points. She was at a mere five hundred now...though Konami was sure that was about to change.

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1400)_

 _ **KONAMI - 1000 LP  
MISTY - 500 LP**_

"Battle Phase!" Misty shouted, as if sensing his thoughts and agreeing with him. "Serziel, attack Dioxogre! _Evil End!_ "

A second wave of light erupted from the Evil Eye of Selene, and it tore through Dioxogre like butter, prompting Konami to scream as his second monster vanished in a violent burst of fire and smoke. Dioxogre, too, roared in pain. Its body was scattered in the blast, vaporized piece by piece as it twisted and turned in the grasp of the fire. In seconds, its entire body had been consumed, leaving only the fading shards of gold light that followed every monster's demise.

Konami was defenseless once again. And just as expected, Misty had gained Life from the attack.

 _ **KONAMI - 1000 LP  
MISTY - 800 LP**_

"I'll set one card...and end my Turn." Misty said coolly. "Forbidden Dress' effect ends, returning my Serziel's power to full!"

The fiend bristled as it ripped the dress of its body, letting it fall to the ground with a hiss. Its embarrassment gave way to rage, and it let out a loud snarl that announced its fury to the world!

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (3100/1400)_

It's...your move, Konami-kun."

 _'She's got me on the ropes,'_ Konami thought, staggering back to his feet and w. _'If I don't do something quick, then I'm really going to lose...!'_

Blast. Should he have just summoned Ccarayhua like his instincts told him to? He tried playing nice, doing things as he was supposed to, and look where it had gotten him! He was about to lose to Misty of all people, and have his soul stolen as a result! If he fell here, then what was the point of it all? If he fell here, then who would be left to face E'Rah later?! Surely, in the wake of such disaster, the small sacrifice of a few hundred souls was better when compared to the estimated loss of the _entire planet,_ right?!

And yet, he'd hesitated, like he always did! The thought of wielding such uncontrollable power frightened him, and kept him from fulfilling his destiny!

No, that wasn't right. Konami shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts, but...the haze didn't lift. He was too deep, too lost in the emotions wrought by his long and deadly battle with Misty! His Mark's influence was getting to him, affecting his thoughts and plays. He needed to take a breath, but there was no time! It was his move, and if he didn't act now then-!

"Shall I skip you?"

Misty's words were like a bullet that sprung Konami to act.

"No!" he shouted, steadying his feet. "It's my Turn! I just...I need a minute."

"Well you aren't getting one." Misty told him. "I told you this was a test, and you've yet to treat it as such. Instead, you've continued to waste my time - our time, by resisting that you seek to overcome! How do you intend to get better at something if you don't the will to try it in the first place?!"

The words struck a chord in Konami's heart.

"I...it's not that I don't want to try it...!" he uttered, clenching his fists. "It's just that I...I don't want anyone to get hurt because of it!"

"That's your excuse?" Misty scoffed. "News flash, people get hurt all the time. You're fortunate enough to have taken a step into a world where that hurt can be undone by those with the right skills. _My skills_. You need not fear the price of power. So long as you do as I ask, all will turn out fine."

"I wish I could believe you. But as you are now, your words sound as hollow as a drum."

"Funny," Misty murmured. "I could say the same for yours."

Konami flinched, then grit his teeth. "That's enough! You wanted me to make my move, well then here I go! I...I draw!"

 **TURN TWENTY - KONAMI - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1000 LP**

He glanced at his drawn card: Gemini Spark.

 _'Not bad,'_ he thought. _'If I use this correctly, I can get rid of her Evil Eye of Selene! Then I can destroy Serziel, and break through Misty's defenses...! Before that though, I'll need to get the card that can do that, which means-!'_

"I'm activating the effect of my Black Stone of Legend!" he shouted. "By shuffling my Red-Eyes Archfiend back into the Deck, I can-"

" _Stop right there!_ " Misty snapped, flinging her hand forward as soon as Konami finished shuffling Archfiend back into the Deck. "You've activated my Trap Card: _Disappear!_ It lets me target one card in your Graveyard and _banish_ it!"

"What?! Oh no!"

"Oh, _yes_." Misty uttered, sounding far too pleased. "With this, your Black Stone of Legend and your infuriating combo is finished! I banish your Black Stone to the Different Dimension, where you'll never see it again!"

Konami gasped in horror as his most used card vanished from the Graveyard, only to reappear in the Banished Zone of his Duel Disk.

He'd...

He'd lost it.

Misty's laugh echoed around him, its cruel tone ringing like bells in his ears.

"No more Archfiend, and no more free Special Summons!" she hissed. "Now you'll be forced to use the options available to you, though based on how you've been dueling so far tonight, I'd bet you have very few options left!"

"You... _You're going to pay for that...!_ " Konami growled, clenching his fist at the humiliation he'd just suffered.

How dare she take away something that was his!

How dare she have the nerve to laugh about it!

He'd make her suffer for this...!

Make her grovel and kneel at his feet, begging for forgiveness!

"Misty...!" he growled, his Mark throbbing hot on his arm. " _Misty!_ "

"Oh yes! That's it! That's the look I wanted to see!" Misty cried.

A force of miasma seemed to be flowing from him, threatening to engulf him whole as he glared at her with eyes as black as night.

"I summon my Blazewing Butterfly in Attack Position!" he declared, calling forth the burning insect that she'd bounced back to his hand earlier.

The critter chirped wildly as it appeared on his field, its flaming wings burning like an inferno.

 _Blazewing Butterfly - LV4 - FIRE - Insect - (1500/1500)_

"Next, I'll cast my Gemini Spark Spell card!" he continued, slamming the card into a Spell Slot. "It lets me Tribute a Gemini monster I control to target and destroy one card on the field!"

"Oh? And just what are you going to destroy? In case you've forgotten, my Serziel is immune to destruction and can't be targeted by card effects!"

"Your monster may be," Konami agreed with a snarl, "but your Spell card _isn't!_ "

Misty's eyes widened in realization. "Wait...you don't mean-!"

"Yes, the target of my Gemini Spark isn't your Serziel, but rather, the equipment it's wearing! I target and destroy your Evil Eye of Selene!"

Blazewing Butterfly screeched as its body was consumed in a sudden burst of lightning that soared across the field. Before Misty could protest, it _slammed_ into Serziel's face, sending the fiend into a pained frenzy as the electricity zapped and scorched away the working components of the Evil Eye! With a snarl, Serziel ripped the rapidly dissolving helmet from its head, watching as it returned to a mere eyepiece that quickly shattered in a miniature explosion.

"My Evil Eye of Selene, you've destroyed it!"

"Yes, and now, your monster is defenseless."

"Actually, it's not!" Misty snapped. "It might have lost is protection effects, true, but the Attack Points it gained from the Evil Eye remain!"

"You say it still has it's Attack Points...?" Konami murmured, glancing at the monster's stats. He clucked his tongue in annoyance upon confirming the fact. "Then it's a good thing I have my Gemini Spark's effect backing me up. When a card is successfully destroyed by its effect, I get to draw one card from my Deck."

He reached toward the top card of his Deck, his heart pounding in his chest.

 _'This is it,'_ he thought. _'Whatever I draw here will determine whether I lose this Duel or keep fighting. It all comes down to this.'_

His Mark suddenly pained him as his fingers pressed down upon the Deck, and he drew the card that would determine his fate.

It was...

His eyes widened in shock, horror, and then...resignation.

"I set one card...and end my Turn."

"Then that makes it my move!" Misty gasped. "I draw!"

 _ **TURN TWENTY TWO - MISTY - ONE CARD IN HAND - 800 LP**_

"And now, your true punishment activates!" Konami shouted, swinging his hand forward. "Serziel's effect! Since you used its ability on your last turn to destroy my Red-Eyes Archfiend, you now have to destroy a card on your side of the field!"

"Ngh...!" Misty grimaced, having nearly forgotten the fact. _'I can't destroy Savage Colosseum!'_ she thought, _'With my Life Points so low, I'll need every bit I can get in case he pulls something! That means...I'll have to do it!_ '

"Serziel targets itself!" she declared, watching with a grimace as her monster grabbed its head in pain. With a snarl, Serziel suddenly exploded, shattering into crimson shards of light that scattered across her field. She shook her head at the dramatics, then reached for the card in her hand. "Unfortunately for you, its death won't be in vain, because I've got a Spell Card: Beginning of the End!"

"Fitting name, because soon it'll be _your_ end, Misty!" Konami glared.

"On the contrary, this card's effect claims otherwise! It can only be activated while I have seven or more DARK attribute monsters in my Graveyard. If I do, then I can banish five of them to draw three cards from my Deck. Thanks to how our Duel has progressed, I have more than enough to fit this role! I banish my Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye, my Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye, my Reptilianne Vaskii, my Reptilianne Lamia, and Reptilianne Scylla!"

Seven black spheres of light leapt from her Duel Disk's Graveyard Slot as she spoke. They swirled around her, shifting and merging together until they had formed three larger spheres that quickly disappeared inside her Deck. After they vanished, three cards slid out from the top of her Deck. She grabbed all three quickly and gave them a look.

"Precisely what I needed," she told herself with a smug grin. "Now that I've drawn these new cards, it's time I put them to use! I play Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye in Attack Position!"

The silver-haired fiend snarled at it emerged on the field, its red claws shivering in excitement upon sensing the state of the field.

 _Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1600/1400)_

"You had a second one?" Konami growled, clenching his fist at the sight of the monster.

"As if you don't run multiples in your Deck," Misty scoffed.

Konami said nothing to that, so she continued.

"Next, it's special ability activates! When Serziel is Normal Summoned, I can add one "Evil Eye" card from my Deck to my hand! I add the Evil Eye of Selene!"

"Another copy..." Konami growled. "And let me guess, you'll be using it immediately?"

"That's right," Misty said with a smirk. "I equip the Evil Eye of Selene to my Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye! And then...we both know what happens next!"

Konami shifted, his black gaze never calming but his head curtly nodding once. There'd be no point in denying the obvious. Now that Misty had called out her monster, only one thing was left for her to do:

The Battle Phase.

"It's time to see what delightful toys you've prepared for me," she said, casting a hand forward. "Serziel, attack Konami directly and end this once and for all! Attack him now with your _Evil End!_ "

 _"Finally!"_ Serziel snarled, its tone impatient despite not being the same one that had already touched the field. _"It's time to end this! Die!"_

Snapping its head forward, it released a crimson jet of lightning from its Evil Eye, sending the electricity coursing toward Konami's form. The man stood tall as it approached, his eyes squinted shut as if he was struggling with himself, and then - they snapped wide open, and the Mark of the Shadows appeared beneath him!

"I activate my Trap Card!" Konami roared. " _Offering to the Immortals!_ "

Two bolts of lightning fell from the sky at that moment, colliding with Serziel's own wave and negating the attack.

"What?!" Misty gasped in surprise, taking a step back to avoid the shower of dust and debris that followed the twin bolt's arrival. "Offering to the Immortals?! But that's a-!"

"A Dark Signer card?" Konami inquired through the smoke.

Misty's eyes widened.

"I'm well aware of what it is," he told her. "Just as you must be aware of its effect, though I'll tell you what it does regardless."

The smoke cleared, revealing Konami...and two beating hearts in front of him.

"Offering to the Immortals is a card that can only be used when you declare a direct attack on me while I have less than three thousand Life Points," he explained. "If you do, then I negate that attack, and Special Summon two Ceremonial Tokens to my side of the field. These tokens can only be tributed for the summon of an Earthbound Immortal, and can't be used as Synchro Material monsters. Of course, their presence is only one boon I gain from this Trap, for after they've been summoned, I can add one Earthbound Immortal, one Earthbound Revival, or one Roar of the Earthbound to my hand! Tell me, woman, can your fortunetelling foresee which I'll choose?"

Misty frowned, registering something off with Konami's tone. Regardless, she saw no reason not to answer his question.

"Your Wiraqocha Rasca is already in the Graveyard, so that can't be it. Earthbound Revival would be my next guess," she began, "except your Catalyst Field was banished earlier. That leaves only-"

"-Roar of the Earthbound." Konami finished for her. "A fitting deductions, though I hadn't asked you to use logic. Regardless, you are correct. The card I will add to my hand _is_ Roar of the Earthbound, for it is one of the few cards I'll need to deliver you to your doom!"

Misty didn't know why, but the words sent a shiver down her spine. It was almost as if she was frightened by him somehow, but that couldn't be right. When it came to the powers of the Dark Signers, she had nothing to fear from him. She had far more experience, and more far more control as well! Was it the resonance between their Immortals, then? Was Ccarayhua, bless its soul, frightened of Wiraqocha Rasca somehow?

How ridiculous.

"So, you've finally decided to embrace your power? To take my test head-on?"

"Your 'test' is but a means to an end. A path that serves nothing but fools and idealists. You cannot control the power of an Immortal. If you've somehow deluded yourself into believing you can do, then that only goes to show how weak and lackluster your own Immortal is. _I_ , however, am far greater. No mere mortal can contain me. Your friend was right to be hesitant, and now, you shall bear witness to my splendor."

" _Your_ splendor?" Misty inquired.

Konami smiled mysteriously, and suddenly, she understood.

This wasn't Konami she was dealing with anymore. This was something else entirely - something that had made use of his weakening spirit and growing outrage and used it to break free of its chains! This was-

"Wiraqocha Rasca..." Misty breathed. "So your situation has already devolved to this point. Forgive me, Konami-kun, I hadn't realized."

"No, you hadn't. You were so caught up in your 'test' that you failed to notice what was occurring right before you, and now...you're going to pay the price."

Misty frowned. She didn't like the tone in his voice.

"Your presence might have rid Konami of the hesitation he carries in using you, but that doesn't mean you'll defeat me any easier. I'm setting a card face-down, see if you can get past it, if you dare!"

Her Trap flickered into view before her, and Konami spared it a single glance before shaking hi shead.

"There'll be no need. Because now it's my Turn, and you - woman - are about to die! I draw!"

Quickly, he ripped a card from the top of his Deck, black light soaring from its sides as he added it to his hand. His smile grew upon registering what it was.

"I activate Monster Reincarnation!" he declared, sliding it into his Duel Disk. "Now I can discard this worthless Evocator Chevalier, and add Wiraqocha Rasca back to my hand! Of course, it won't be staying there for long, because I already have everything I need to revive it once more! Only one last step is required, and it's here in my hand! I set Roar of the Earthbound Immortal!"

Misty blinked as she watched the card's hologram materialized on the field. What was the point of telling her what was set? It wouldn't make his job any easier. Unless...

It didn't matter what he Set, so long as something _was_ Set.

"Now, the time has come for the door to darkness to open anew!" Konami chanted, a storm of shadows swirling around him. "I tribute my two Ceremonial Tokens to revive the monster in my hand!"

The two beating hearts vanished into purple pillars that shot into the sky. They collided in mid-air, transforming into a single beating heart that absorbed the souls residing in Naples with each mechanical throb. Konami grinned as the wails and screams of his victims filled the air, and Misty felt herself tense.

 _"Cast in the Shadows of the Shining Light, the strongest Earthbound Immortal is born anew! Advanced Summon! Bring forth the ultimate destruction! Come forth, Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!"_

Streams of lightning rained down as he finished his chant, sending booms and thunderous cracks roaring through the city. Misty glanced upward with wide eyes as the heart _exploded_ into being, consuming the sky with endless black shadow. A loud and booming screech filled the air, followed by the sudeen hiss of speeding gusts. Lightning flickered in the distance every so often, each flash accompanying a great black shadow that grew and grew, twisting and turning and screaming vengeance and victory over the earth and all who had opposed it so long ago!

Misty couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her eyes spread wider and wider and the shadow continued to grow and grow, evolving well past the size of the many other Earthbound Immortals she was familiar with. If Ccarayhua was a titan, then this could only be a God, a fierce and wonderful but terrible God, stricken from the heavens for pursuing that which must never be pursued! Its wingspan spread outward, revealing endless purple line that seemed to be the size of the city itself! They gave way to shadow and smoke, both forces called merely by the presence of the towering giant whose shadow in which she now stood.

Miasma poured forth from its being, engulfing the world in darkness and sending her own Dark Sign into a blaze. In an instant, foreign emotions surged into her. Black hot rage and cold hard fury that demanded she act on her baser desires and steal, pillage, kill! Images of Toby and his corpse flickered through her mind, inciting her need for vengeance against the Signers, against Akiza, against all those responsible for bringing him to the Arcadia Movement in the first place! She knew it wanted her to act on those feelings, to fall back into darkness, to serve it as they struck back at the Signers and the world they loved once more!

They could be great together...

A wonderful pair; a sibling duo that none would be able to stop! Her, with Ccarayhua and the fame of a supermodel giving them endless resources, while he - the proud Duelist, capable of dealing out damage to those she could not best herself!

 _No one would be able to stop them..._

But then she got ahold of herself.

She remembered the truth of Toby's death, of Sayer's defeat.

 _His death had already been avenged._

There was no need for further vengeance.

There had been enough destruction.

Now, here and now, only one enemy remained.

And it was staring her in the face.

 _Wiraqocha Rasca - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (100/100)_

She knew not to take its stats lightly. A monster that could cast such a shadow over her had to carry a devastating effect, and Konami confirmed as much with his next words.

"Wiraqocha Rasca's effect activates!" he declared confidently, his black eyes boring into her own.

 _'Here it comes,'_ she thought, readying herself.

"When Normal Summoned, I shuffle any number of cards I control back to my Deck, then discard the same number of cards from your hand! Then, if cards were sent, Wiraqocha Rasca gains a thousand Attack Points for each!"

"Incredible..." Misty whispered, taking a step back as the purple lines on the condor began to light up. "It might not seem powerful at first, but if used correctly it could wipe me out in an instant!"

"I shuffle my Roar of the Earthbound back into the Deck!" Konami roared, "This means the one card in your hand is discarded!"

Misty winced as she glanced at her Reptilianne Medusa, the card vanishing from sight as Rasca's power hurled it to the Grave.

"No...!" she hissed.

"A card was sent, and so, our power rises!" Konami snapped, drawing her attention back to him.

The lines on Wiraqocha Rasca's body glowed brighter than the moon, casting glares in every direction that could blind even those wearing shades!

 _Wiraqocha Rasca - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (1100/100)_

"Now, Misty...it is time for you to die." Konami breathed. "And with your demise, the guilt Konami will feel will drive him over the edge! Now, Wiraqocha Rasca! _Direct Attack!_ "

A death beam launched from the condor's beak, and Misty's eyes went wide.

 _"No!"_ she thought, staring at the approaching beam. _"I can't let that hit me! If I do, then everything will end!"_

She steeled herself, planting her feet even as the world was consumed by Wiraqocha's violet stream. She grit her teeth, narrowed her eyes, then raised her hand to activate the card that would bring everything to an end.

"I..." she breathed, "I play Dimension Wall!"

The well-laid trap lifted upright, revealing its artwork for her opponent to see. As it did, a shimmering wall appeared in front of her, absorbing the mighty blast and leaving her Life Points intact.

"What's this?" the Rasca-Konami asked, his eyes staring wide at the flipped trap. "What just happened? That attack should have killed you just now!"

"And it would have," Misty agreed, "had it not been for Dimension Wall's effect! It takes the attack and the battle damage I would have received...and sends it through a mirror dimension to send it right back to you!"

A second wall appeared above Wiraqocha Rasca and Konami, and the two looked up as a bright purple began to explode from within.

"N-No!" Rasca gasped, taking a step back. "This can't be!"

"You only have a thousand Life Points left, and thanks to your own effect, the attack carries a power of eleven hundred!" Misty said, clenching her fist. "In other words, this is the end, Konami-kun. No, Wiraqocha Rasca!"

"Damn you, woman!" Rasca screamed. "I was supposed to beat you! I-I was supposed to win!"

And with one last scream, his world was consumed by violet light-the long dark duel finally coming to an end.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER TWENTY THREE - END**_

* * *

 ** _NEXT TIME ON YU-GI-OH! TAG FORCE 2: AFTERMATH! A DARK DECISION!_**

* * *

 ** _Bit of a longer chapter this time, but its been a while! Let me know what you think!_**


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